The Girl in my Nightmares
by mica288
Summary: They're in High-School now, and Helga is soon realizing she needs to get over Arnold, but what will happen now that he can't help falling in love with her? Will they let fear and pride get in the way instead of expressing their true feelings? Or will they find their happy ending at last? A simple narrative of how I thought the story would finally end. Hope you enjoy it.
1. Chapter 1 - I Like Your Bow

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold! or its characters.

Chapter 1 - I Like Your Bow

Arnold's P.O.V.

For our final science project Gerald, Phoebe, Helga and I had been building up an insectary, and we all decided to go camping to find some insects we were missing. Truth is, it was merely an excuse for a fun camping trip.

Anyways, it turned out it was only going to be me and Helga… Gerald was visiting his grandparents for the weekend, and Phoebe's parents weren't happy with the whole idea.

I turned around from my desk to look at Gerald sitting on the bed.

A (Arnold): "I can't believe I'm stuck with Helga for the whole weekend!"

G (Gerald): "I really pity you, bro! No one would want to spend a whole weekend with that girl".

A: "I know… I'm sure she'll find a million ways to make my life a living hell!"

We were in High-School now, but Helga still bullied me around, calling me names and pulling pranks on me. I knew there was a lot more to her, I'd seen it before, but she always kept it well hidden inside.

G: "Well, I wish you good luck, man! Here's all the background research Phoebe and I have been working on (handing me a notebook). You might find it useful. Try not to kill each other".

A: "Thanks, Gerald!"

G: "I gotta go now. I'll leave you to your packing. See you Sunday night, hopefully!" – He said, with a teasing smile on his face.

A: "Yeah… Bye, Gerald!"

Grandpa walked into my bedroom while I was packing everything we needed for the weekend.

Gpa (Grandpa): "Brought you some dinner, short-man!"

A: "Thanks, grandpa! Just leave it on the desk. I'll have it later".

Gpa: "What's wrong, Arnold? Yesterday, you were so excited about going camping with your friends".

A: "That's it, grandpa! None of my friends are coming. It´s just going to be me an Helga."

Gpa: "Helga, ey? Isn't she the one with the huge bow on her head and the one eyebrow?"

A: "That's the one".

Gpa: "I thought you wouldn't mind spending some time alone with her…" –He had a weird look on his face.

A: "What gives you that idea?"

Gpa: "… giving the little crush you had on her back in pre-school". – He finished.

A: "What?!" – I looked back at him in surprise. "I've never had a crush on… Helga!"

Gpa: "Call it what you will, but every day you came home with some new story about her to tell your grandma and me. About how nice her bow was, and how she had the prettiest blonde hair… up until she started making fun of you in front of the whole classroom and calling you foot-ball head!"

A: "You're way out of base here, grandpa! I'm sure if I said those things about Helga it was just to be nice…"

Gpa: "O.K. then, short-man! You should get some sleep. It'll be a long day tomorrow".

_More like a long weekend_ – I thought to myself.

A: "Good night, grandpa!"

Early the next day, my alarm went off. (Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold!) I got up, gathered all my things together and started getting dressed, when I heard a knock on the door.

A: "Come in! It's open!"

I was surprised to see it was Helga.

A: "Helga… you're early!"

H (Helga): "No kiddin', foot-ball head! It was the only time Bob could give me a ride".

A: "It's fine. I'm almost ready anyway. Had any breakfast yet?"

H: "Only what I could find in the fridge".

A: "C'mon! I'm sure grandma made us some breakfast."

We went downstairs and grandma served us a huge stack of pancakes each.

Gma (Grandma): "Better eat as much as you can, now! You'll need the energy to fight off the zombies".

A: "We're just going camping, grandma!"

We'd finished stuffing ourselves up when grandpa called out to us…

Gpa: "Arnold! Time to go! I want to be back here in time for my early afternoon show!"

We grabbed our things and headed to the front door. Grandpa was giving us a ride to the campsite.

A: "Bye, grandma! See you tomorrow!"

It was about a forty minute drive to the campsite and me and Helga hadn't spoken to each other the whole trip. When we got there, grandpa helped us unload and look for a good spot.

Gpa: "Need any help setting up the tent?"

A: "No, thanks! I think we can manage. You should go now, if you want to catch your show".

Gpa: "O.k. then, shorty! You got your cell phone, so call me if you need anything. I trust you two can take care of yourselves. Pick you up tomorrow around 5."

A: "Sure thing, grandpa! See you tomorrow!"

H: "Bye, Phil!"

I stared at the car while it drove away until it was out of my sight, and turned to face Helga. _This is going to be awkward! _– I thought.

H: "So… what's the deal here, foot-ball head? We catch a bunch of bugs in a jar to take home and that's it?"

A: "Pretty much."

H: "I don't see why we couldn't just look for insects in our own backyards instead of coming all the way up here".

A: "There are some insects we need that we won't find in our backyards, Helga! And the whole idea of going camping was just for fun. It was supposed to be the four of us…"

H: "It's not like I'm so excited about being stuck here with you either, hair boy! I'd much rather have Phoebe here with me than you. Or even Gerald for that matter".

A: "Whatever you say, Helga. We should start setting up camp."

I started looking through my things.

A: "Oh, Crap!"

H: "What's wrong now, Arnoldo?"

A: "I forgot the backpack with my tent and sleeping bag in it. I must've left it in the trunk".

H: "Well, that was a stupid thing to do."

A: "I guess we'll have to share your tent. Is it big enough for two?"

H: "Fine! I'll share my tent, but there's no way in hell I'm sharing my sleeping bag with you!"

A: "Don't worry; I can assure you your sleeping bag will be safe from me!"

We pulled Helga's tent out of its case and stretched it on the grass. We must have read the instructions a hundred times and we were still trying to figure out how the bloody thing worked.

A: "What the hell are you doing, Helga! That doesn´t go like that! You're doing it all wrong!"

H: "What do you want from me, foot-ball head? It's not like I spend every weekend of my life camping! Besides… isn't this supposed to be a man's job?"

A: "Don't tell me you're pulling out the 'girl card' on me. I mean, it's not like you're the feminine type of girl…"

I could see I'd poked a nerve from the expression on her face.

H: "What do YOU know, foot-ball head?"

An hour later, and with not much help from Helga, the tent was finally ready to be used.

H: "So, what know, Arnoldo?"

A: "We head into the woods and catch some insects."

We'd caught about 10 different types of insects by the time it started to get dark.

A: "I think we'd better call it a night. We wouldn't want to be far away from camp when it gets dark".

H: "Finally! I'm sick of crawling around in the dirt looking for stinking bugs! So, which way's camp?"

I stopped for a moment and looked around.

A: "I think it's this way."

H: "You… THINK… it's this way? Crimeny! I thought you knew where we were. I can't believe you got us lost, foot-ball head!"

A: "We're not lost. Lets just walk this way."

H: "I'm not walking anywhere with you, bucko! Not until we figure out where we are. I got an idea!"

Helga looked up and started walking towards the tallest tree around us.

H: "I'm climbing up to see if I can spot camp from up there."

A: "Helga, I'm not sure that's such a good idea. C'mon, I'm pretty sure it's this way."

I started walking away when I heard a branch crack and a huge bump on the floor. I turned around and saw Helga lying on her back.

A: "Helga!" – I ran to her. "Are you O.K.?

Helga's P.O.V.

As soon as I fell and opened my eyes, I saw Arnold rush towards me.

A: "Are you O.K.? –He asked, holding me up.

I tried to stand up, but felt a huge pain on my knee.

H: "Ouch! I think I broke something".

A: "Hold on. Don't move. Where does it hurt?"

H: "My knee."

Arnold looked down and saw my jeans were all torn and blood was coming out of my knee.

A: "It doesn't look good. Do you mind if I tear your jeans a bit more so I can have a better look?"

_You can tear all of my clothes off, if you want_- I thought to myself, and couldn't help looking at him with googley eyes. _Get a hold of yourself, Helga!_ I slapped myself back to reality.

H: "Just no ripping anything above the knee, got it?"

A: "No, Helga! I just need to look at your knee… Geez!"

He ripped the bottom part of my jeans off and started analyzing the wound.

A: "It's not as bad as I thought. Good thing I brought a safety kit. It's back in camp. C'mon, I'll help you walk. I'm really sure it's this way."

Arnold helped me stand up and put his arm around my waist. Oh, how good it felt to have my loved one's arm wrapped around me!

A: "Hold on to me. It shouldn't be that far".

Turned out foot-ball head was right!

He sat me down on a piece of log and went to get his safety kit.

A: "This might hurt a little". –He poured some hydrogen peroxide over the wound.

H: "Ouch! That stings, Arnold!"

A: "It's to keep it from getting infected, Helga!"

H: "Whatever! Just get down with it!"

He pulled out a bandage and gently wrapped it round my knee.

A: "It should be fine".

H: "Thanks, Arnold." – I noticed his hand was still resting on my knee. I turned up and looked at him. He nervously took his hand away.

A: "You're welcome."

Arnold's P.O.V.

I really liked seeing Helga's vulnerable side. Though it hardly ever came out, it was sometimes worth spending time with the bully just to see it eventually.

I felt my stomach growl.

A: "I'm getting hungry. How about you?"

H: "I could eat…"

I gathered some wood I found nearby and lit up a bonfire.

A: "Here. I brought some sausages. They taste pretty good when you heat them up in the fire". –I handed a few to Helga.

We placed one each on a stick and stuck them in the fire.

H: "You're right. They do taste kinda nice."

We sat there for a while just staring into the fire, without saying anything.

A: "I wonder what Gerald and Phoebe are doing…"

H: "Probably having a lot more fun than we are".

A: "I doubt it. Gerald always hates visiting his grandparents, and Phoebe's probably in her room studying without you to hang out with."

H: "You may be right."

Things got quiet again, and I gave small talk another try.

A: "How come Phoebe couldn't come along?"

H: "Her parents weren't sure about the whole 'going camping without any adult supervision' thing."

A: "Too bad."

H: "I sometimes wish my parents cared a little about where I go and what I do… but Bob and Miriam are always just too busy with their own lame lives."

I felt sorry for her and wanted to comfort her in some way, but I was sure she'd shove me off if I tried getting anywhere near her.

H: "Well, I'm off to bed, foot-ball head! I'm changing into my pjs, so no peeking, got it? Or I'll pound you!"

A: "Yeah, O.K. Helga. Whatever you say…"

She went into the tent and I stayed outside by the fire. All of a sudden what grandpa hay said about me and Helga popped into my head. _Could he be right?_ I said to myself. _Did I really have a crush on her when I was little…?_ I didn't really remember much from pre-school. It started to get cold, so I crawled into the tent.

Helga was lying on her sleeping bag with a flashlight on one hand and a book in the other. There was something different about her. I noticed she's let her hair down, and her pink ribbon was resting on the floor beside her. I stayed focused on the ribbon while an image shot through my mind. It was cold and raining, and there stood four year old Helga completely soaked on the sidewalk. I had approached and covered her with my little umbrella. 'I like your bow. It fits your pants' I think I had said. Was it a memory I had well hidden in the back of my mind? It made me feel tender, somehow. I then looked up at her face, her eyes attentive to her book. I did like her bow, but there was something about the way her hair fell down the sides of her face…

H: "What are you looking at, foot-ball head?" –Helga's voice broke my thoughts.

A: "Geez, Helga! Lighten up!" -I looked at her with infuriating eyes. "I was just thinking you should let your hair down more often. It looks nice."

Helga blushed.

A: "Could you go outside and give me some privacy so I can change into my pajamas too, please?"

H: "What? No way, Arnoldo! This is my tent and there's no way I'm going outside and wait for you to get changed…"

A: "Fine. Could you at least turn around, please?"

H: "Ha! Whatever! It's not like I'm interested in seeing your disgusting little man boobs!" – She turned around. Helga could really piss me off!

A: "Thanks!" –I said, resisting a growl. I slid my jeans off and put my pajama pants on. When I was pulling my t-shirt off over my head I thought I saw Helga peeking at me. _Was she… checking me out? Nah! I must've seen wrong._ I turned my whole body round to look at her and noticed she blushed and quickly looked away. I decided to let it go and put my pajama top on. I lay down on the floor. _'Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë' _I read on the cover of her book.

A: "I didn't strike that to be your kind of book".

H: "There's a lot about me you don't know, foot-ball head! And it's none of your business".

A: "O.K." –I rolled my eyes. "Good night!"

I turned to look the other way and closed my eyes, but couldn't fall asleep. A few minutes later, Helga turned her flashlight off and I heard the ruffle from her sleeping bag while she snuggled in it. I felt envious. The cold was creeping up my back and my feet were freezing. I put some socks on and my shoes, but no matter how much I curled up, I was still very cold. I eventually fell asleep, but the cold woke me up again around midnight. I then heard Helga's sleeping bag zipper come undone. She used half of it to cover me up and lay right next to me. I was sure she thought I was asleep, so I didn't say anything. I felt warm next to her body, and before I knew it, I was already drifting away in my sleep.

Morning came, and the sun shone through the tiny window on the tent waking me up. I yawned and stretched myself. Helga was still asleep. I don't think I'd ever seen her look so peaceful. I realized I'd been staring at her longer than I should have when she started to open her eyes. I immediately turned around to look up at the tent ceiling and felt my face turn red.

A: "Sleep well?"

H: "How well can anybody sleep on the floor of a tent?" – She sat down and rubbed her neck.

A: "Good point. Hey…uhm… Helga?"

H: "What?"

A: "Thanks."

H: "For what?"

A: "For sharing your sleeping bag."

She looked at me in surprise and for a moment didn't know what to say.

H: "I only did it cause you wouldn't let me sleep with all your trembling."

A: "Still… it was a nice thing to do. So… thanks."

H: "Don't get all mushy on me, O.K.? Like I said, it was nothing!" –She changed the subject. "What time is it?

A: "It's almost noon."

H: "Wow! How did we manage to sleep that long?"

A: "We didn't really sleep that much. Well, I don't know about you, but I kept waking up."

H: "Yeah, you're right. It was pretty uncomfortable."

I reached for my backpack and pulled out two packs of chocolate milk and a bag of cookies.

A: "Hungry? I brought some breakfast."

H: "What are we? Ten?"

A: "Fine. More for me."

H: "Give it here, hair boy! I was just kiddin'!"

We both sat there eating. She moved her leg to a side and I saw the bandage on her knee.

A: "How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"

H: "Nope, it doesn't hurt much anymore."

A: "Good." – We were quiet for a while.

A: "Uhmm… Helga?"

H: "What, Arnoldo?"

A: "I was just thinking… we've got enough insects for our project now, and considering your knee is much better, I was wondering if you wanted to go down to the lake. I mean, we did bring our swimsuits."

H: "I'd rather do anything than look for more bugs… and it's not another five hours till Phil comes to pick us up. So, count me in!"

A: "Great! I'll go outside and let you change."

She was taking ages to get changed. When she finally opened the door of the tent and came outside, I was surprised to see she was wearing a bikini. I could see she was feeling shy from the way she folded her arms trying to cover as much as she could of her body. She looked… good. I just stood there, staring at her.

H: "Take a picture if you want, foot-ball head! –She yelled angrily.

A: "Oh! Uhm… sorry." –I snapped out of it, and tried to hide my red cheeks.

I got into the tent and put my swimsuit on. For some weird reason I was nervous, and took longer to come out.

H: "Move it, foot-ball head! I aint waiting out here all day!"

I came out and we walked to the lake. We stood on the edge and felt the water.

H: "What are we waiting for?" –I felt her hands on my back pushing me into the lake. I looked up just in time to grab her arm and pull her down with me. We both swam to the surface and burst out laughing.

A: "Race you to the dock!"

H: "You're on!"

Neither of us had stopped to look at the time, but it suddenly felt like it was getting late. I turned to look at my watch and saw it was already 4:15 pm!

A: "Oh, shit! We should head back. Grandpa will be here soon and we haven't packed everything up."

H: "Alright, alright! Don´t get your knickers in a twist, hair boy! We've got time!"

A: "Still… I think we should head back." –I got out of the water and held my hand out to Helga to help her out as well. I felt our wrinkly fingertips from the water touch. We walked back to camp and got ready to go. Grandpa arrived just in time.

Gpa: "Hey, short-man! Did you two have fun?" –He asked me while Helga was getting into the car.

A: "Yeah, it was O.K."

We drove back home and dropped Helga off at her house on the way. I helped carry her backpack to the front door.

H: "Thanks, Arnold." –She paused. "I, uhm… it was fun!"

A: "Yeah! It turned out to be a lot better than we expected." –Before I knew it, I was already leaning in to kiss her cheek. I felt her body tighten, but she didn't push me away.

A: "Bye, Helga!"

She moved her hand towards her face gesturing a salute. "See you!" –She said, and went into her house.

I walked back to the car and got in. Grandpa gave me a suspicious smile, but I ignored it and we headed home.

End of Chapter 1.


	2. Chapter 2 - Arnie visits Again

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey, Arnold! or any of its characters.

Chapter 2 – Arnie Visits Again

Arnold's P.O.V.

(Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold!) – I stretched my arm to turn my alarm clock off.

A: "Why the hell is it ringing on a Saturday?" – I stuck my face in my pillow, trying to fall back to sleep, when grandpa walked in.

Gpa: "Morning, short-man! Did you sleep well?"

A: "Still trying, grandpa!"

Gpa: "No! You should get up and get dressed! Your cousin Arnie will be here any minute now… and you're not leaving him with me."

A: "Oh, right! Shit… I'd forgotten about that." –I turned to look at him in disappointment.

Gpa: "Well now, Arnold, I know you don't like him, but he's family! And he'll only be here for a couple of weeks."

A: "I'm not sure I can handle two weeks, grandpa. He's just… weird! You can't even talk to the guy!"

Gpa: "You'll find some way to put up with him. You always do."

A: "How come it's always up to me to put up with him?"

Gpa: "Oh, uhm… because he's very fond of you, you know? You're his favorite relative." – He laughed and I looked at him incredulously.

A: "I'll be down in a minute."

I got up, put my jeans and a sweatshirt on and headed downstairs. When I walked into the kitchen Arnie was already sitting there, reading the ingredients off a box of cereal.

A: "Hey, Arnie!"

Aie (Arnie): "Hi."

A: "How've you been?"

Aie: "Fine."

I sat down and prepared myself a bowl of cereal. Arnie just sat there, staring at me. His eyes started moving up and down, following my spoon, while I ate.

A: "Would you like some?" – I finally asked, guessing he'd probably fancy a bowl.

Aie: "No, thanks. I'm counting your mouthfuls."

I raised an eyebrow. How weird was that? I could never get used to his annoying habits. We both sat there quietly until I finished my cereal – only Arnie knows in how many mouthfuls.

A: "So, uhm… my friends are going to this pizza place we always hang out in. It's cool… they have some pool tables, darts and arcade games. Do you want to come?"

Aie: "Will your friend Helga be there?"

A: "I guess so." - I hadn't spoken to her since last week when we went camping, so I was hoping she'd be there.

Aie: "Then, yes."

We grabbed our coats and headed outside.

A: "Grandpa, we're going to 'Dave's Pizza'. We'll be back later". –I yelled, with one foot out the front door.

Gpa: "O.K. Have fun!"

We walked to 'Dave's Pizza House' in silence. I honestly had no idea how to talk to Arnie. When we walked in through the door, I could see we weren't welcome from the look on everybody's face – all except for Lila's, of course. She was the first one to come up to us.

L (Lila): "Hey, Arnie! It's just ever so nice to see you again." – Arnie made no response.

I couldn't help feeling jealous. Yes, after all these years, I still had a crush on Lila. I had stopped trying to make her like me, like me, but that didn't mean I had gotten over her. Arnie walked straight past Lila, without even looking at her, and went to stand near the pool table where Helga was playing. She just gave him a disgusted look and pushed him aside to make her shot.

Gerald pulled me away.

G: "What are you doing, bro? Why did you bring him? You know nobody likes him."

A: "I know, Gerald, but I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't spend the whole day alone with him."

G: "Yeah, I guess you're right." – He gave me a pat on the back and we went to play some foosball.

Helga's P.O.V.

H: "Stop staring at me, you weirdo!"

Aie: "I think you're really pretty."

H: "Yeah, yeah. Move out of the way! It's my turn!"

I missed my shot and lost the game.

S (Sid): "Yes! You owe be ten bucks, Helga!" – I pulled out a twenty from my pocket.

H: "Got any change?"

S: "Nope, but it's O.K. You can pay me tomorrow." – I put the twenty back into my pocket and turned to look at Phoebe.

H: "Pheebs, come outside with me for a sec, will you?" – Arnie began to follow us outside. "Not you, you freak!"- I pushed him back into the pool table area.

P (Phoebe): "What's wrong, Helga?"

H: "What do you mean what's wrong?! Haven't you seen that creep? He's been following me around everywhere for the last two hours!"

P: "Gosh, Helga, I'm sure he only means it as a compliment."

H: "I don't care, Phoebe! I need you to help me get rid of him!"

P: "What do you want me to do?"

H: "I don't know… just distract him while I sneak out. I'm sure if he sees me leave, he'll just follow me home."

P: "Sure thing, Helga. I'm on it!"

We went back inside, and as soon as I saw Phoebe go up to him and make him look the other way, I made a run for it. _Oh, joy! I made it all the way home without the weirdo following me! _

I was curious to know what had happened after I left. I had been looking forward to seeing Arnold today, as I hadn't talked to him in a week, but his freaky little cousin had ruined it. I called Phoebe to find out.

H: "Hey, Pheebs!"

P: "Hello, Helga!"

H: "So… got any news for me? Did anyone ask about me?" – _Wouldn't it be nice if Arnold had asked about me…?_ I thought to myself while I waited for Phoebe's answer.

P: "Well, Arnie kept asking everybody where you'd gone and if you were coming back." – _Oh, br_o_ther! _"And Arnold asked why you'd left." – I stood up in surprise when I heard what she said.

H: "Arnold asked about me?"

P: "Yes! I told him you left because Arnie wouldn't leave you alone, and he looked disappointed." _– Arnold was disappointed because I left?_ "He said he hadn't spoken to you since last week." – _I couldn't believe it, I felt like I was about to faint!_

H: "And… did Arnold say how long his cousin's going to be staying with him?" – I wasn't planning on going anywhere near him while his freakish cousin was around.

P: "I'm almost certain he said he was staying for two weeks."

H: "Two whole weeks?!" – The door bell rang, interrupting our conversation. "Hold on, Pheebs... Bob! Miriam! There's someone at the door!" – There was no answer. "Bob! Miriam!" – Still no answer. "Crimeny! I'll have to get it myself! I'll call you back, Phoebe!"

I hung up the phone and walked downstairs to open the door.

H: "What the hell?! What are YOU doing here?" – It was the bloody weirdo!

Aie: "I wanted to see you."

H: "Well, I don't want to see you, so get lost, bucko!"

Aie: "I want to be near you."

H: "Oh, geez! How am I ever going to get rid of you?"

Aie: "I brought you a doll made out of lint from my collection." – He pulled one of the most disgusting things I had ever seen from out of his pocket and handed it out to me.

H: "Eeew! That's it!" – I grabbed Arnie's arm and walked all the way up to Arnold's house and desperately knocked on the door. Phil opened it.

Gpa: "Hello?"

H: "I believe THIS is yours…" – I placed Arnie's arm on his hand. "May I speak with Arnold, please?" – I made no effort to hide my anger.

Gpa: "Of course. Come in. He's just doing his homework up in his room."

I stormed into his bedroom and Arnold jumped up in surprise from his desk chair.

A: "Helga! What's up?"

H: "What's up? I'll tell you what's up! I believe you happened to lose something today, and it found its way to my house!"

A: "You're talking about Arnie, aren't you?"

H: "Who else, foot-ball head?!"

A: "I'm sorry, Helga! I went into the shower and by the time I came out, he was already gone."

H: "Listen here, Arnoldo… He's your stupid cousin, so I don't care what you do, but it's your job to keep him the hell away from me, for his own good and yours!"

A: "Fine, Helga. I will. I know how annoying he can be." – He paused for a moment, thinking.

A: "Look… I have an idea. Remember in 4th grade, during his first visit, when you helped me out by trying to make Lila jealous?"

H: "Yeah… what's your point?"

A: "Well, I'm thinking I could return the favor."

H: "You mean like pretend we're dating or something?"

A: "Yeah, something like that. I'm sure he'd leave you alone if that were the case."

I couldn't believe it! Arnold had just offered to be my fake boyfriend! This was a golden opportunity. I could act all nice around him, without him suspecting anything! I pretended to think for a moment, and finally agreed to his offer.

H: "You've got yourself a deal, foot-ball head! Whatever it takes to keep him off my back!" – I stretched my hand out to shake Arnold's, when Arnie walked into the bedroom. We both turned to look at him, and then back to each other.

A: "Well, good night, my angel! I'll see you tomorrow." – Arnold put his arm around me and kissed my cheek.

Aie: "I didn't know you two were dating."

A: "Oh, yeah! Didn't I mention it earlier?"

Aie: "No." – Good thing Arnie was pretty dumb, or he wouldn't have believed us.

A: "Well, we are… and we're just crazy about each other. Isn't that right, Helga?" – I was still focusing on his arm around me, which caused me to react a little slower. Eventually, I turned to answer his question.

H: "Oh… yes! I'm so in love with you! I've always loved you!" – I realized what I was saying, and stopped myself before Arnold could see through me and realize I wasn't really lying. He looked straight into my eyes and I panicked, so I quickly looked away and headed for the door. I winked at him as I left, hoping it would make him believe I was in fact lying.

Arnold's P.O.V.

The next day, we were all meeting up at the movie theater. Gerald, Helga, Phoebe, Arnie, Lila and me. The new thriller 'Tortured Souls' was playing. Gerald and I got there first and while we waited for the others to arrive, I told him about my deal with Helga.

G: "What?! Are you telling me you're pretending to be Helga G. Pataki's boyfriend for two weeks?!"

A: "Yes, Gerald. I really don't want Arnie bothering Helga anymore. It's the same thing every time he visits."

G: "It didn't bother you before."

A: "I know, but somehow it bothers me now, O.K.? Just go along with it."

G: "Whatever you say, man. I've got your back."

A: "Thanks."

Soon after everybody had arrived, we bought the tickets and went in. When we started sitting down, I saw Arnie head for the empty seat next to Helga, but I got there first and sat between them. As soon as the scary bits began, I felt Helga lean on to my shoulder. I wasn't sure if she was doing it for Arnie's sake or because the movie was pretty scary, but I put my arm around her. She would constantly jump up when something frightening popped out in the movie, and I teased her about it. She laughed and tried to scare me a few times, but wasn't successful. I was having a very good time with her. She made watching scary movies really fun. I was starting to feel comfortable with her, when I felt a gaze on me and realized Lila was looking at us with surprise. I looked away awkwardly and tried to ignore it.

After the movie, we all went to eat at 'Dave's Pizza', as usual. We picked a spot near the pool tables and ordered a couple of pizzas. I sat next to Helga and randomly put my arm around her in case Arnie was looking. Strangely, Lila seemed to be the one paying more attention to us. Suddenly, and without thinking, I reached out beneath the table and held Helga's hand. I felt it stiffen, but she didn't move it away. What the hell was I thinking? Arnie couldn't even see our hands. Why was I holding hers' under the table? I had held Helga's hand before a few times, but it felt different this time, and it made me feel nervous. The weird thing was I didn't let go. After we'd finished eating, I stood up and went to the bathroom. When I came out, Lila was waiting for me outside.

A: "Oh, hey, Lila!"

L: "What's going on here, Arnold? Are you two dating?"

A: "Uhm, yeah! We just started going out." – I could see she didn't quite believe me.

L: "Look, Arnold, if this is just another way of trying to make me jealous, you don't need to…" – I interrupted her.

A: "It's not like that, Lila. I promise."

L: "But I thought you didn't like her that way."

A: "Well… now I do."

L: "Oh, I see… Well, in that case I'm oh so happy for you." – She didn't sound very honest.

A: "What's wrong, Lila?"

L: "I'm not sure… it's just that… seeing you with Helga did make me feel a bit jealous."

A: "Jealous? But I thought you only liked me as a friend..."

L: "I thought so, too." – I was so confused; I had no idea what to think.

A: "I'm sorry, Lila. I don't know what to say…" – What was wrong with me?! The girl I'd had a crush on since forever was telling me she probably did like me after all, and I just stood there!

L: "It's O.K. Arnold. I'll see you around." – Lila walked away and Gerald suddenly appeared.

G: "What the hell is wrong with you, man? You just ditched Lila for Helga!"

A: "I don't know…"

G: "Just go tell Helga the deal is off!"

A: "I made her a promise, Gerald… and if Lila really likes me, she can wait two weeks. I've waited years!"

G: "What?! You're out of your mind!"

A: "Just forget about it, O.K. Gerald?" – I was starting to get pretty annoyed.

We paid the check and we all went home. I walked Helga back to her house with Arnie following us close behind. When we got there, I asked Arnie to wait for me at the bottom of the stoop and I walked up to the front door, holding Helga's hand. I leaned in, pretending to kiss her, when her eyes popped wide open.

H: "What do you think you're doing?" – She whispered, and moved her head backwards, away from me.

A: "Just go with it." – I leaned in again and kissed her right in the corner of her mouth, making it look like I'd kissed her lips. When I slowly pulled away from her, our eyes met… and for the first time ever, I felt an impulse to kiss her fully on the lips, but I ignored it. I was starting to ignore a lot of things, lately.

H: "You're making it a habit of kissing me at my front door, foot-ball head." – She said laughing, and gave me a light punch on the shoulder. I could see she was nervous, though.

A: "Good-bye, Helga."

H: "Bye, Arnold!"

Arnie stayed home every day while I went to school, so we only really had to pretend during the weekends. I could see Lila was starting to suspect something. I told myself I hadn't come clean with her because I didn't want to risk her spilling the beans, but I knew she'd never tell.

Two weeks went by rather quickly, and it was Arnie's last weekend in town. By then, I had gotten used to holding Helga's hand when Arnie was around, but that was pretty much all we did. Gerald invited us all to his house for a movie marathon Saturday night.

We all settled into his living room to watch the movies. Sid, Harold and Stinky lay on the floor with some pillows, Helga sat on the couch with Phoebe and Gerald, and I sat on the floor with my back resting against the couch. I saw Arnie walking towards Helga, and there was a small empty space beside her, so I gestured her to sit next to me. She sat down on the floor beside me and lay her head against my chest. I started to feel very nervous and uncomfortable. I was staring up at the T.V. screen, but had no idea what was going on in the movie. All I could think about was Helga's head on my chest… and to make things worse, I then felt her hand slide over my stomach. My heart beat started racing, and I only wished she wouldn't notice.

Helga's P.O.V.

Oh, tragedy! It was the last weekend my dear foot-ball headed love and I were pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend. I never thought I'd be wishing Arnie stayed longer. But oh well, I had to try to make the best of it. Gerald invited us to his place to watch some movies, so I figured there was my chance. I was sitting on the couch – I had chosen the best spot to stare at him the whole time without him noticing – when he turned and asked me to sit down next to him. I felt wonderful inside, until I saw Arnie heading towards me and understood why he'd done it. Either way, I stood up and sat beside him. Giving the circumstances, I figured it was O.K. if I put my head on his chest, and… what the hell! Why not place my hand on his stomach, as well? After all, we were pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend.

He smelled so nice! I could've stayed like that forever. I noticed his heart was beating really fast… was that healthy? Or maybe it was a reaction to the movie. I honestly hadn't been paying much attention to it. All my senses were fixed on Arnold, but I knew it was some kind of action film. By the forth movie, almost everybody had gone home. It was just me, Arnold, Phoebe and Gerald, who had started to get a bit cuddly, and the weirdo. Around half way through the movie, Arnie stood up and left to go upstairs. I pretended to be asleep so Arnold wouldn't ask me to move, now that Arnie wasn't around. I knew he was too much of a gentleman to wake me up.

Arnold's P.O.V.

It was about 2 am, and almost everybody had left, when Arnie decided to call it a night. I expected Helga to get up and move aside after he left – although I kind of wished she wouldn't –, but she didn't move. I looked down and saw she was sleeping. No wonder she had stayed put.

I started to feel awkward with Gerald and Phoebe acting a little too friendly behind me. Luckily, not long after, Phoebe's cell phone began to ring. It was her parents saying they were on their way to pick her up. We were nearly seventeen now, but Phoebe's parents were still very protective about her. She stood up and leaned over us, tapping Helga's shoulder.

P: "Helga, wake up! It's time to go." – Helga yawned and stretched her arms. I helped her stand up.

A: "It's pretty late, Helga. I think I should walk you home."

H: "No, it's O.K., foot-ball head. I'm staying over at Phoebe's house. Thanks, anyway."

A few minutes later, Phoebe's parents arrived. We said our good-byes and went up to Gerald's room. Arnie was already fast asleep. He looked weird even in his sleep.

A: "So, I see things are working out pretty good between you and Phoebe."

G: "Yeah! I really like her. She's smart, and cute… and sweet."

A: "I'm glad to see you're hitting it off." – I yawned, and before I'd finished closing my mouth, I was already falling asleep.

It was finally Sunday, Arnie's last day staying with us. He was leaving late in the afternoon, but after two weeks, a few hours didn't sound that bad. Grandma cooked Arnie a nice farewell dinner and we all sat at the table. For everyone in the boarding house, including myself, it was more like a celebration to his leaving. In time, grandpa and I took him to the bus station and said good-bye. We happily watched the bus drive away.

Gpa: "Finally, it's over! Now things can go back to normal."

A: "It's not like you spent any time with him, grandpa. You kept hiding from him…"

Gpa: "I was talking about you, short-man!" – He laughed.

Helga crossed my mind. Things would have to go back to normal with her, as well. I wasn't sure how that made me feel. We went back home, and I enjoyed the solitude of my bedroom for the first time in two weeks.

Monday, after class, I bumped into Gerald on the stairs.

G: "Hey, man!"

A: "Hey!"

G: "Life must be treating you pretty good now that Arnie's gone."

A: "Yeah, it's nice to have my room all to myself again."

G: "…and you don't have to pretend to be Helga's boyfriend anymore…"

A: "Yeah, that too." – Gerald looked at me suspiciously.

G: "What's up with you, Arnold?"

A: "What do you mean?"

G: "You've been acting really weird lately, especially when it comes to Helga…"

A: "What are you talking about, Gerald?"

G: "Yeah… I mean, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're falling for her…"

A: "What?! Gerald, that's crazy! I could never fall for a girl like Helga! Could you imagine…? That woman makes my life miserable."

G: "O.K. If you say so, man. I believe you. And what about Lila?"

A: "What about her?"

G: "Aren't you planning on asking her out?"

A: "First, I need to find out if she's still interested."

G: "Good point."

We continued walking down the stairs, when I saw Helga standing beneath.

A: "Helga! Hi…" – Gerald said something about having to go to class and left. Helga turned to face me, and I was surprised to see she looked like she was about to cry.

H: "Oh… hi, Arnold." – No foot-ball head? That was weird…

A: "What's wrong, Helga?"

H: "Nothing."

A: "You can tell me."

H: "I said it's nothing, O.K.?"

A: "O.K…" – I desisted before she tried to bite my head off. Helga's temper wasn't known to be very patient.

H: "Look… I just wanted to thank you for helping me out…" – She stared at the floor. I saw Lila walking towards us. "… it was really nice of you to do that for me, and get Arnie off my back."

Lila stopped in surprise when she heard our conversation.

A: "Helga, you don't need to thank me. I…" – She interrupted me.

H: "No, I know you were just returning the favor, but still… thank you."

A: "You're welcome."

She turned around and quickly walked away. It's hard to describe how I felt as I saw her leave. I wanted to chase after her and make her tell me what was wrong. I wanted to comfort her and hug her, I didn't know why. I was so confused. Lila approached me and started talking, but I couldn't listen to anything she was saying. I could only see Helga walking away from me.

L: "Arnold? Are you listening? Arnold!"

A" What? Oh, sorry, Lila! What were you saying?"

L: "I was saying I can't believe you lied to me."

A: "Oh… yeah… I'm really sorry, Lila. I made Helga a promise."

L: "I guess I understand."

A: "You must think I'm a real jerk for lying to you…"

L: "Oh, no, Arnold! I don't think that at all! I mean… I do think it was very wrong of you to lie, but I also think it was just ever so nice of you to try and help a friend."

A: "Thanks, Lila."

L: "I'll see you around, Arnold." – She gave me a cute smile and headed back to her class.

Helga's P.O.V.

I was just going upstairs to Arnold's classroom to say thank you, when I saw him walking down with Gerald. I heard them mention my name, so I quickly hid under the stairs.

G: "Yeah… I mean, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're falling for her…"

A: "What?! Gerald, that's crazy! I could never fall for a girl like Helga! Could you imagine…"

I couldn't hear anything after that, everything just turned blank. I felt a huge pain in my chest I hadn't felt in a long time. His words kept repeating over and over inside my head… "I could never fall for a girl like Helga…" I couldn't blame him; I had done this to myself. I had always been mean to him. It wasn't the first time I'd heard him say something like that about me, but somehow this time it felt different. This time it really hurt. I guess the fall hurt so much more because I'd let myself fly so much higher. I couldn't move. I couldn't think… I just stood there, with my hands strongly holding onto my heart, until I heard Arnold's voice say my name.

A: "Helga! Hi…" – I waited and breathed before I turned around, and saw Gerald was gone.

H: "Oh… hi, Arnold." – I resisted a tear.

A: "What's wrong?"

H: "Nothing…" – I could hardly speak. He insisted and I let some of my anger slip away. "I said it's nothing O.K.?"

A: "O.K."

H: "Look… I just wanted to thank you for helping me out." – My voice started to break, so I paused to take a deep breath. "…it was really nice of you to do that for me, and get Arnie off my back."

I felt like I was about to burst out crying, so I ended the conversation and walked away as fast as I could. I skipped all the rest of my classes and went straight home. As soon as I got there, I ran to my bedroom and sunk my head in my pillow. I cried until I felt I had no more tears to shed. Then, my sadness turned to anger. How could I have been so stupid?

I had always wondered how and when this day would come. The day I'd finally decide it was time to move on. I couldn't keep holding on to something that was impossible. I needed to let go. I grabbed a box and shoved everything that reminded me of Arnold in it. I had been gathering so much junk for years! I grabbed all my notebooks full of poems, pulled my pink ribbon off my head, and threw them all into the box. I stood in front of it all, just looking at everything. I was surprised to see how every single object that reminded me of Arnold could fit in a box. I wished I could rip my heart out and throw it into the box with everything else. I knew all the love and pain I felt wouldn't disappear just like that, but I was determined to try. I lift the box up and headed to Phoebe's house. I was so glad to see she was the one who opened the door.

P: "Helga! You've been crying…"

H: "I need you to take this, Pheebs."

P: "What is it?"

H: "It's all my poems and stuff. I can't keep them."

P: "What's wrong?"

H: "I just need to grow up, Pheebs. I need to move on. I've been obsessing over Arnold for so long… it's time to let go."

P: "Don't you think you should tell him how you feel before giving up? You've never even tried. Who knows what could happen!"

H: "I heard him say he would never be interested in someone like me, Phoebe! And I don't think I could bear having him say that to my face."

P: "I still think you shouldn't give up just yet, Helga. Talk to him! Tell him how you feel! He might feel differently then."

H: "No, Phoebe! I'm done! I'm moving on with my life!"

I knew she would keep trying to convince me, so I gave her a hug and left before she could say anything else.

Phoebe's P.O.V.

I sadly carried Helga's box up to my bedroom. I never thought she'd finally give up. I was sure she would someday muster up the strength to tell him the truth. I sat on my bed and lay the box beside me. On top were a notebook and her pink ribbon. I took them out and placed them on my nightstand. I started searching through her things, looking for something, but I couldn't find it. Her locket wasn't in the box. Why had she kept it? I smiled because I knew the answer to my own question.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Little too Late

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey, Arnold! or any of its characters.

Chapter 3 – A Little too Late

Arnold's P.O.V.

I figured the third time had to be the charm, so I dialed Helga's number for the last time and waited while it rang. I had already tried her cell phone, but it was turned off.

M (Miriam): "Hello?"

A: "Hello? Mrs. Pataki? It's Arnold again." – I heard Mr. Pataki ask if it was 'that kid' again, so this was definitely my last attempt. "I was just wondering if Helga had arrived home."

M: "Helga…? Oh… um… I don't think so." – She called out to her but there was no answer. "No, I'm sorry. Would you like to leave a message?"

A: "No, thanks. I'll just see her tomorrow at school."

M: "O.K. then… bye!"

A: "Good-bye, Mrs. Pataki."

I guessed Helga had just gone over to Phoebe's house after school and whatever problem she had would be fine, so I tried not to think about it and got on with my studying. Things were getting pretty hectic at school thanks to the upcoming end of the school year. Eleventh grade was finally almost over.

Next day, at school, I saw Phoebe talking to Helga in the hallway. I was astounded to see how beautiful she looked. She wasn't wearing her usual pink bow. Instead, she wore her hair in a messy side ponytail. It somehow made her eyes look bigger and her features softer.

A: "Hey, Phoebe! Hi, Helga!"

P: "Hello, Arnold!"

Helga didn't say anything and turned away when I looked at her.

A: "I hardly recognized you, Helga. You look very… nice!" – I could see she had blushed, but a simple 'thanks' was all the reply I got.

H: "Phoebe, we're late for class." – She grabbed Phoebe's arm and pulled her away.

Since when was Helga in such a rush to get to class?

I bumped into her during the day a few times, but every time I aimed to start a conversation with her, she would always be in a hurry to be somewhere else. I was starting to get the feeling she was avoiding me.

Helga's P.O.V.

Phoebe was telling me something about a final exam, but I wasn't listening. All I could think about was Arnold. How was I ever going to stop loving him? I'd always loved the stupid foot-ball head! I needed to find a way… My mind was lost in its thoughts, when I heard his voice.

A: "Hey, Phoebe! Hi, Helga!" – I jolted in surprise and couldn't say anything. He turned to look at me and I felt my heart stop. I had to look away.

He complimented my appearance, which caused a mixed feeling between flattery and misery. The only reason I wasn't wearing my pink bow anymore was because it was a clear reminder of him, and I'd given it to Phoebe with all the rest. The messy side ponytail was just the only hairdo I could come up with that didn't require much effort.

I started to feel anxious around him. I needed to get as far away from him as possible, so I grabbed Phoebe's arm and pulled her away with me, saying we needed to get to class.

P: "Helga, you're hurting me!" – I waited until we were far away enough and let go of her arm.

H: "Sorry, Pheebs. I just really needed to get away from him."

P: "You're still on that, huh?"

H: "Yes, Phoebe! I've made up my mind. I can't keep obsessing over Arnold."

P: "You probably wouldn't have to obsess so much over him if you just told him the truth."

H: "I'm getting over him, even if it's the last thing I do!" – She looked at me skeptically. "Crimeny! Stop looking at me like that, Phoebe, and help me think of a way to get over the boy!"

P: "Why don't you just ignore him?"

H: "Ignore him?! That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard! How am I supposed to ignore him?"

P: "Well…"

H: "I know! I'll just avoid him…"

P: "Isn't that the same as ignoring him?"

H: "No, Phoebe! If I avoid him, I won't have to ignore him."

P: "Oh, I see…"

H: "My bullying Arnold days are over! I can't be near him anymore, at least not until I can act sanely around him again."

And that's what I decided to do.

Arnold's P.O.V.

By the end of the week I was convinced she was avoiding me. I didn't know why. I noticed she was acting normal to everybody else, except me, so it was me she had a problem with. I kept wondering if I had done something to upset her.

During the few classes we shared, she used to sit near me and bug me the whole time. Now, she sat as far away from me as she could and never even looked at me. Every time I spoke to her, she would either ignore me or answer back but without facing me. Things were starting to get pretty weird between us, and it frustrated me. I never thought I'd miss her bullying me, and I can honestly say I preferred that to her avoiding me.

I waited for the perfect time to force her to talk to me, until one day, after class. I saw her stay behind from everybody else in the classroom. She seemed to be looking for something in her backpack. I waited for the last person to leave and shut the door behind them. Helga looked up when she heard the door close, and was surprised to see who had closed it. She nervously started gathering all her things together.

H: "What do you want, foot-ball head?"

A: "I want to talk to you."

H: "I can't. I'm late for my next class." – She picked up her things and started walking towards the door, but I grasped her arm before she could get to it.

H: "What the hell? Let go of me!"

A: "I really need to talk to you, Helga. You've been avoiding me all week, and I want to know why."

H: "What?! No, I haven't!"

A: "Yes, you have. What have I ever done to you? You won't even look at me!" – She was silent for a moment.

H: "Nothing…" – Her voice broke. "You've done nothing to me."

She looked down and stared at the floor, but I could see a tear rolling down her cheek.

A: "Helga…?" – I took a step closer to her and put my arms around her. She resisted my embrace at first and tried pushing me away, but I pulled her in even closer and she finally gave in. She buried her face in my chest and sighed. I felt her tremble in my arms and her cry grew stronger. She dropped her things on the floor and clung on to me tightly, her hands clasped onto my back.

I felt her tears dampen my shirt, but I didn't mind. I stroke her hair and moved my lips to her forehead, almost kissing it. I hated seeing her unhappy, it made me miserable, and I just wanted to comfort her. We stayed like that for a while, holding on to each other in silence. I could only hear Helga's deep breaths and sobs in the darkness of the empty classroom.

A: "Helga, what's wrong? Tell me…" – She didn't say anything and kept crying. I slid my hands to the sides of her face and forced her to look at me straight into my eyes. I wiped her tears away with my thumbs.

A: "Please, tell me…"

Her watery eyes made me feel weak inside. I felt my heart stop and I knew it then… I think I'd known it for weeks, but I'd been lying to myself, pretending it wasn't there. I wasn't sure how or when it had happened, but it was true… I was in love with her. She pulled away from me and I didn't have the strength to stop her.

H: "Please, Arnold… just leave me alone." – She picked up her things from the floor and walked out the door.

I stood there for a while, looking at the open door, with my heart now beating so fast I thought it might leap out of my chest. When I felt I could move again, I sat down on one of the chairs nearest to me and buried my face in my hands, thinking to myself. What was I supposed to do with this now? Should I tell her? If I did, how would she react? My heart and my mind were all puzzled and mixed up. I was overwhelmed with everything that was going on.

After school, Gerald came over to the boarding house to study for a final, but I was having a hard time concentrating.

G: "What's up, bro? You seem a little… distracted."

A: "It's nothing… I just have something on my mind and I don't know what to do about it."

G: "Out with it, man!"

A: "It's complicated."

G: "And…? Do I look stupid to you or something?" – I smirked.

A: "No, it's just that… I don't know!"

G: "Talk to me. This is about a girl, isn't it?"

A: "Sort of…"

G: "But it's not about Lila…"

A: "No."

G: "Spill it out!"

I wasn't sure if I should tell Gerald. He'd probably think I was crazy. But I figured if I couldn't tell him, then who could I tell?

A: "It's… Helga." – I was surprised to see he reacted very calm about it.

G: "I'm proud of you, Arnold! I never thought I'd see the day…"

A: "The day…?"

G: "When you'd finally admit you've fallen for Helga!"

A: "You mean you knew about it?"

G: "Arnold, I know you better than anyone! I've known for weeks!"

A: "What should I do about it? I mean, it's not every day someone falls in love with their bully!"

G: "I don't know, man… As far as we know, she hates you!"

A: "She doesn't hate me, Gerald."

G: "Then how come she's always being mean to you and saying how much she hates your guts?"

A: "I don't know… I kind of get the feeling she's always hiding something."

G: "Face it, Arnold… she's nothing but a bully! I don't understand what you see in her."

A: "That's not all she is, Gerald. There's a lot more to her."

G: "O.K. Enlighten me."

A: "Well, I don't know… I mean… she's smart, and beautiful. I know she has a bad temper, but she's also kind and has a big heart if you look close enough. She's always building up walls, but that's because she's had to learn to protect her vulnerability. She's strong and independent, and doesn't care what people think about her. She isn't afraid to give her opinion and even though she hides it pretty well, I know she's a good person and takes care of the people she loves. She's one of a kind. I know its crazy… Of all the girls I know, I literally had to fall in love with the one that drives me in sane!"

By the time I ended my speech, Gerald was looking at me with his eyes wider than ever. I finally got the surprise I was expecting earlier.

G: "Geez, man! I didn't know you had it this bad!"

A: "I'm in love with her, Gerald… and I honestly don't know what to do about it."

G: "You have to tell her."

A: "I'm not sure if I should. Can you imagine how she'd react?"

G: "It doesn't matter. If you really feel so strongly about her, you should tell her. You have to risk it; otherwise, you'll just end up regretting it."

I thought about what Gerald said for a moment, and then turned to my text book again, trying hard to concentrate.

Like every other Saturday, we all met for pizza at 'Dave's'. If Helga was avoiding me before, now she was acting like I didn't even exist, but I still felt uneasy around her. I wanted to say something to her, but I wasn't sure how to talk to her anymore.

We were all sitting around the table, eating, when Helga stood up to get a Coke from the bar. When she came back her t-shirt was all soaked and she looked really pissed.

Helga's P.O.V

After my weeping incident with Arnold, I felt very embarrassed. I hardly ever let Phoebe see me crying. I didn't even want to be in the same building as him, but Phoebe convinced me to go to the Pizza House. She said I needed to get out of the house because I was starting to get a lot more bitter than usual.

I spotted Arnold with the corner of my eye as soon as we arrived, but I ignored him completely. We all sat at the table to eat some pizza and Arnold sat right in front of me making me feel even more uncomfortable. I kept asking the waiter to bring me a Coke, but he never did. I was in no mood to wait, so I stood up and went to the bar to get it myself. When I turned around from the bar, carrying my soda, some idiot bumped into me and me spill it all over my t-shirt.

H: "What the hell?! Look where you're going, moron!"

J (Jeremy): "I´m sorry!" – He said, half laughing. "Are you O.K.?" I looked up and saw he was a really good looking guy. He grabbed a napkin and started wiping my t-shirt.

H: "Get your hands off me, you creep!"

J: "Hey… I'm just trying to help!"

H: "If you want to help, just move out of the way!" – I pushed him aside and walked back to the table.

Arnold's P.O.V.

Phoebe asked what we were all wondering.

P: "What happened? Why are you all wet?"

H: "Some idiot bumped into me and made me spill my drink! Just what I needed to make my day!"

I was about to stand up and offer to bring her a new one, when this guy came up to her and placed a soda in front of her.

J: "I felt bad about spilling yours, so I bought you a new one."

H: "It was the least you could do, douchebag!"

As soon as he walked up to her I could see he liked her from the way he looked at her. She was rude to him, but he didn't seem to mind… he actually liked it.

H: "So, what are you still doing here? Get lost!"

J: "Actually…" – He pulled out the chair next to Helga and sat down. "…I was thinking I could join you."

Helga wasn't very welcoming, but that didn't stop him from introducing himself and initiating a conversation with everybody around the table. He seemed like a decent guy, but I couldn't help disliking him. I wished he'd just stand up and leave.

He put his arm around Helga's chair and leaned in close when he spoke to her. She didn't pay much attention to him, but he still made me clench my fist every time he touched her. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't stop staring at them. Gerald asked me if I wanted to play a game of pool. I knew he'd asked because he noticed my reaction and hoped I might calm down, but when we heard Rhonda talking about Jeremy, my jealousy only grew stronger.

R (Rhonda): "I can't believe he's interested in Helga! She is such a tomboy! He is way out of her league. I've seen him around school before. He's in senior year, and he's in the foot-ball team."

I felt my face turn red.

G: "Calm down, man! She doesn't even seem interested in him."

A: "So what makes you think she'd be interested in me?"

G: "Come on, Arnold! Relax!"

We continued playing pool for a while and then everybody started to leave. I was waiting for Phoebe with Gerald because they were going to catch a movie, when she walked out with Helga and Jeremy.

J: "See you around, guys!" – He waved at us and then turned to Helga. "I hope to see you soon, Helga." – He kissed her cheek and she blushed. If I wasn't sure I was jealous before, I was definitely sure of it now. I wanted to shove him off her, but I just looked away instead, trying to hide my anger. When I looked back, he was gone.

G: "You two guys are welcome to come too, if you want."

H: "I pass. I just want to go home."

Gerald and I shook hands and they left. Helga started to walk in the opposite direction.

A: "Helga! Let me walk you home!"

H: "I'd rather not."

A: "Come on! We don't have to talk. I promise I won't say anything."

H: "Fine! Whatever, foot-ball head!"

We walked to her house in silence. I only had one thing on my mind. I kept thinking of a thousand ways to tell her how I felt. We finally reached the front door; she put her key in the lock and turned it.

A: "Helga, I…" – She interrupted me.

H: "You promised, Arnoldo!" – I smiled and shut my mouth. She smiled back at me. Finally! I got a smile out of her! I felt tingly inside.

H: "Bye, foot-ball head!" – She went into her house and closed the door behind her. Well, at least she'd let me walk her home. It wasn't much progress, but it was something.

On Monday, I waited for Helga outside after school. I'd spent the whole day thinking about her, without being able to concentrate on anything else. I decided it was time to tell her how I felt. I needed to get it out of my system. I was sitting in one of the benches, mentally preparing myself in case she blew me off, when I felt someone punch my back.

G: "What's up, man? Why haven't you gone home?"

A: "I'm waiting for her."

G: "Who? Helga?"

A: "Yeah… I've been thinking about what you said, and you're right. I should tell her."

G: "And you're doing it now?"

A: "Why wait? I need to get it off my chest, and if she's going to blow me off, I'd rather she did it now."

G: "What are you going to say?"

A: "I don't know. Whatever comes out."

G: "That's brave, Arnold!"

We finally saw her walking down the entrance stairs and I took a deep breath. I stood up and started walking towards her. Gerald wished me luck from a distance. I felt more nervous with every step I took closer to her, my palms started to sweat and I felt a bit dizzy. I stopped a few feet away from her to take another deep breath. Just as I was about to open my mouth and call out to her, someone else shouted her name.

J: "Helga!" – She looked up from her cell phone and saw Jeremy running towards her. He finally reached her and stopped to catch his breath.

I couldn't hear what they were saying. I just stood there feeling like an idiot. From where I was standing, it seemed like he was trying to convince her about something. It wasn't hard to guess about what. He was obviously asking her out. I imagined he had convinced her when I saw him carry her backpack to his car and open the door for her. She got in and they drove away. Gerald caught up with me.

G: "I'm sorry, Arnold." – He pat my shoulder.

A: "I'm such a moron! I should've told her sooner!"

G: "Don't give up just yet, though. A little competition never hurt anyone."

A: "Trust me, I won't!"

Helga's P.O.V.

I was counting the minutes for my last class to end, hoping Mr. Harris would soon shut up. He was the dullest teacher I'd ever met. At last the bell rang and I leaped out of my chair. I was sending Phoebe a text message saying I wasn't going to wait for her today, and that I'd see her tomorrow, when I heard a strange voice calling out to me.

J: "Helga!" – It was Jeremy from the pizza house. I rolled my eyes. Great! What did he want now? "I've been looking all over for you."

H: "Well, you found me… unfortunately." – I think he heard that last part. "What do you want?"

J: "I just wanted to see if you'd like to hang out with me some time."

H: "You mean like a date? Are you asking me out?"

J: "Yeah… you could say that."

H: "Oh, brother!"

J: "I know I could show you a good time."

H: "I don't think so, pretty boy!" – I was about to walk away when he grabbed my shoulder.

J: "Give it a try! What do you have to lose?"

H: "Nothing, I'm just not interested."

J: "I'm sure I could change your mind." – His over confidence was starting to irritate me.

H: "Look, bucko! I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't hang out with dudes like you… and I'm pretty sure I'm not the kind of girl you usually go out with."

J: "I know. That's why I like you." – I still wasn't convinced. "At least let me give you a ride home. "

H: "That won't be necessary."

J: "I insist." – He pulled my backpack off my shoulder and walked to his car, which was parked right in front of us.

H: "Are you aware of how annoying you are?" – He laughed and opened the car door for me. I got in. "I'm only letting you drive me home because I don't feel like walking, so don't get any ideas."

J: "I wouldn't dare." – He smiled.

End of Chapter 3.


	4. Chapter 4 - I'll Miss You

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey, Arnold! or any of its characters.

Chapter 4 – I'll Miss You

Arnold's P.O.V.

The school year was finally over and everybody was celebrating. I'd been looking forward to summer vacation for months. I was spending them in Costa Rica with my grandparents and Gerald, since he'd convinced his parents to let him tag along. But now all the excitement seemed to have faded away. There was one person I'd be sorry to leave behind.

Helga and I had gotten over the awkwardness from the previous weeks and she was talking to me again, but there always seemed to be some sort of tension between us. Gerald and Phoebe were a 'big thing' now, so the four of us hung out together all the time, which helped a lot. I'd tried telling Helga how I felt about her a few times, but it never seemed to be the right time. At least I was relieved she wasn't going out with Jeremy, though I knew he hadn't given up.

As I walked out of the classroom from my last class, I saw Gerald talking to Phoebe and Helga in the hallway, and joined in the conversation.

G: "Man, it feels great to say good-bye to school for a couple of months!" – He said, hugging Phoebe ecstatically, but she didn't respond with the same enthusiasm.

P: "Actually, I think I'm going to miss it."

Helga smiled at her sardonically.

H: "We'd never have time off school if it were up to you, Pheebs. At least you all won't be stuck here all summer with Olga, her stupid husband, and her obnoxious little brats!"

Olga had been married for four years now. Her husband Andrew was the typical man any woman would want to marry. Tall, good looking and rich. Helga obviously hated him, but he was in fact a pretty decent guy. They had two kids; Andrew Jr. who was almost three years old, and Jazlyn, barely nine months old. Helga was always going on about how annoying they were, but the truth was she secretly adored them.

Gerald and I were leaving early the next day, so this was our last night all together. We'd been meaning to plan something really fun just the four of us, but there had been so much going on that we never really got to it. Now, I was afraid we'd end up going to this huge party downtown, where apparently the whole school was going. I liked going out and drinking a few beers, but never really understood the whole idea of getting drunk and doing stupid things.

G: "So, are we in for tonight? I heard this party's going to be W-I-L-D. Wild!"

A: "I'm not sure, Gerald. That's not exactly what I had in mind."

H: "C'mon, foot-ball head!" – Helga smiled at me and punched my shoulder. "A wild night might be just what you need."

I couldn't say no to Helga, so I just shrunk my shoulders and gave in.

G: "Great! So, we'll see you two ladies tonight."

Gerald leaned in to kiss Phoebe good-bye and Helga and I looked at each other uncomfortably.

A: "So, uhm… I'll see you tonight?"

H: "Yeah... Phoebe's place. Nine, sharp."

Gerald gave me a ride home, and as soon as I got there I went straight up to my bedroom and started packing for Costa Rica. Grandpa had been insisting I do it for the past week but, as usual, I left it for the last minute. After I'd finished, I went downstairs and grabbed a bite to eat. Grandpa was sitting in the kitchen.

G: "So, shortman, you all packed and ready to go?"

A: "Yeah, grandpa. I'm all set."

G: "Oh, it's going to be so much fun! Your grandma and I spent our honeymoon there, you know?"

He went on talking about his honeymoon and all the places he'd been with grandma, and I listened to him attentively while I ate my dinner, until I looked at my watch and saw it was already eight o'clock.

A: "Shit! Sorry, grandpa. I have to start getting ready. I'm supposed to be at Phoebe's in one hour!"

I quickly rushed upstairs into the shower and got dressed. I put some jeans and a light blue shirt on, but something seemed to be missing. I wanted to look nice tonight. So, I went through my closet, took out a khaki jacket and a pair of brown moccasins, and put some cologne on. For some reason I was more nervous than usual. I really wanted to impress Helga, but not so much that it looked like I was trying too hard.

I was waiting for Gerald when he called and said he was running late because he'd invited Sid and Stinky at the last minute and was picking them up, so I went on ahead to Phoebe's house. I knocked on the door and was dazzled when I saw Helga open it wearing a little black dress that made my heart jump up and down. She looked unbelievingly stunning and almost as tall as me with her pair of high heels on. I was speechless. She invited me in and we both sat in the living room in silence waiting for Phoebe to come down and the rest to arrive. She pretended to read a brochure that was lying around, and I continuously glanced at her hoping she'd look back at me, but whenever our eyes met I would quickly look away sheepishly feeling like a complete idiot.

After a while, Gerald arrived with Sid and Stinky and Phoebe was finally ready to go. We walked over to Gerald's car and I opened the door for Helga. As I held my hand out to her to help her get in, I finally said what I wanted to say since I saw her standing at Phoebe's doorway.

A: "You look very beautiful, Helga."

She looked up at me in surprise, taken aback by my comment. She timidly thanked me and hid the flush of her cheeks.

H: "You don't look so bad yourself, foot-ball head."

I felt flattered and pleased with myself that my attempt to impress her hadn't been in vain.

Gerald's car was one of those really small compact ones, so it was a real nightmare trying to squeeze us all in. Phoebe sat in the front seat and the rest of us pressed against each other in the back. Helga sat next to the window, and I sat next to her trying not to squash her, but it wasn't much use. There was just not enough space.

H: "Move over, morons! I can feel the arm rest pressing into my ribs!"

A: "You can sit on my lap if you want." – I offered, knowing she would probably take a swing at me for even suggesting it.

H: "What?! Who the hell do you think I am, hair boy?!"

A: "I was just thinking we'd all be more comfortable if you did."

H: "There's no way I'm sitting on your lap, foot-ball head!" – I rolled my eyes at her.

A: "Whatever you say, Helga."

Gerald suddenly made a turn that thrust us over to Helga's side, crushing her.

H: "Crimeny! Fine… Move over, foot-ball head!"

She stood up and I slid next to the window and let her sit on my lap. We felt and instant release and Sid and Stinky looked at me thankfully. I put one arm on the arm rest but I wasn't sure where I was supposed to put the other with Helga on top of me; I didn't want her to get the wrong idea, so I just placed my hand on the seat beside me.

I stared at Helga the whole ride, studying her every detail. She honestly did look incredibly beautiful. Her blonde hair hung loose on her shoulders, her long eyelashes wore mascara and her lips looked shinny and irresistible. She sat unmoving, just staring out the window. My eyes moved from her face all the way down to her legs. I loved the way that black dress nicely accentuated her figure and showed off her curves. It was hard to fight the flock of thoughts it brought to my head.

A bump on the road caused me to jump up and instinctively pull Helga in closer to me, hugging her waist. She yelled at Gerald for being a lousy driver and, instead of moving away from me like I expected her to, she leaned against me and put her hand on my thigh. I immediately felt my whole body clench and my heart beat started to race. Having her so close to me I could smell the scented shampoo on her hair and feel the warmth of her body upon mine made my thoughts run wild. I began to feel a certain part of me get a little too excited and tried my best to hide it. I couldn't believe this was happening to me. My hands started to sweat from the nerves and I kept fidgeting around in the seat. Luckily, we arrived soon after, before she, or anyone else, noticed.

By the time we arrived, the party was completely crowded and half the people were already drunk. We spotted Rhonda and a bunch of our friends near the pool and walked over to say hi. She told us how surprised she was to see us there and a whole lot of things I wasn't really interested in. Gerald turned over to Phoebe and Helga, not paying attention to anything Rhonda was saying.

G: "So, ladies, can we get you something to drink?"

H: "Anything with alcohol for me, thanks."

I looked at Helga quizzically.

A: "Helga, you never drink…"

H: "What's it to you, foot-ball head?! I'm just trying to have a good time!"

I knew she couldn't hold her drink but kept my mouth shut to avoid an argument. Helga joined back in Rhonda's conversation, mostly making sarcastic remarks to annoy her, while Gerald and I went in to fetch the drinks. The place was so cramped it took us ages to get them, and Sid and Stinky, who were supposed to be following us, somehow got lost in the crowd. While we headed back, Gerald used the time we had alone to point out what he'd probably been thinking since we started planning the night out.

G: "Tonight's the night, Arnold!"

I looked at him confused.

A: "For what?"

G: "For telling Helga, of course!" – He sounded very enthusiastic about it.

A: "Oh… I don't think so, Gerald."

G: "Why not?! Think about it, man! We're leaving tomorrow, so if she blows you off, you'll have the whole summer to get over her."

His words weren't as comforting as he thought.

A: "And what if she doesn't blow me off?"

G: "Well, then she'll have to miss you and wait for you to come back. Works either way."

It didn't seem like such a bad idea and I had been waiting for the right moment for a long time. Maybe this was it.

Or maybe not…

By the time we got back, Jeremy had found his way to Helga. It was like he could sniff her out anywhere. They were laughing and he had his arm around her shoulders.

J: "Hey, guys! It's nice to find _you_ here." – He said, referring to me and Gerald. I sensed a lack of honesty in his voice.

A: "Wish I could say the same." – I answered back, only loud enough for Gerald to hear.

J: "I'm really glad you came, Helga. I really didn't think you would. And I must say you're looking smoking hot tonight!"

He pulled back from her to have a full view of her body and she thanked him for the compliment. I compressed my lips together trying to fight back the anger, and Gerald told me to relax and try to have a good time. I wondered if he could stay so calm if there were someone breathing down Phoebe's neck and checking her out.

Sid and Stinky suddenly appeared out of nowhere carrying a tray full of shots and offered us one each. Helga drank three instead, one after the other, in less than ten seconds, and we all stared at her in disbelief.

A: "Are you trying to get yourself drunk?" - I asked.

H: "Oh, come on foot-ball head! Lighten up! …Just drink it!"

She grabbed my hand holding the shot glass and pushed it up to my face. I tossed the shot into my mouth and felt it burn my throat the entire way down.

A: "Fuck me, they're strong!" – I coughed and she laughed at the disgusted look on my face.

H: "Don't be such a baby! Here, have another!"

She took another shot glass from the tray and held it out to me, while Jeremy whispered something into her ear and started pulling her away from me. I caught up with them and asked where they were going.

J: "Don't worry! Your friend's in good hands." – Jeremy said, with a mocking grin on his face. I was starting to suspect he knew how I felt about Helga.

H: "I'll be right back." – She managed to say swiftly while Jeremy held her hand and pulled her away again.

I didn't like the idea of Helga going off with Jeremy on her own, but before I could say anything, they had already disappeared into the crowd.

Helga's P.O.V.

Jeremy asked me if he could introduce me to some friends and before I could say yes, he was already pulling me away. I had meant to come back straight away, but it turned out his friends were a fun crowd to hang out with and we started playing a bunch of drinking games. Before I knew it, I was already pretty wasted and had lost count of my drinks by the fourth or fifth game. Every time I stood up from the table where we were playing to make my way back to my friends, they made up some excuse to make me stay, and we kept on drinking.

When I finally got up, determined to head back, everything spun around me and I felt like I was about to collapse on the floor. Jeremy quickly caught my arm and helped me stand up straight.

J: "I think you should go upstairs and lie down for a while." – He said, trying to put his hands around my waist, but I pushed him away.

H: "I may be drunk …but that doesn't mean I'm going to have sex with you." – I said, slurring every word and smiling teasingly.

J: "I know… I just think it'll help you feel better…" – He smiled back at me and I knew his intentions weren't completely honest, but I went upstairs anyway. I figured I could handle him if he tried to make a move on me.

He put my arm around his neck and helped me up the stairs. When we got to the top, he opened the first door on the right and we surprised a couple of horny teenagers canoodling on the bed. They looked pretty embarrassed and upset, and we left laughing heartily, closing the door behind us.

H: "Lock the door, you nimrods!" – I shouted, from the other side of the door.

We moved on to the next door and, to our relief, found the room was empty. It was some kind of library. Jeremy helped me sit on the couch and then sat next to me, barely a few inches away. I felt uncomfortable with him sitting so close to me and he stared at me for a while before attempting to start a conversation.

J: "You never drink, do you?"

H: "Nope." – I said, hoping he wouldn't keep trying and move a bit further away from me.

J: "Then, why did you drink tonight?"

I rolled my eyes. He sure wasn't going to give up that easily.

H: "Just wanted to get some stuff of my mind." – Arnold, obviously. I hated the fact that he was leaving for the whole summer, but mostly, I hated the fact that I still cared.

J: "Can I ask what stuff?"

H: "No, you can't."

J: "O.K… So, tell me, why did you decide to come? I didn't think you'd accept my invitation."

H: "I didn't. My friends wanted to come."

J: "I see… Then, why aren't you downstairs with them instead of being up here with me?" – His voice turned flirty, and I felt my heart beat faster in my chest. He was starting to make me feel uneasy.

H: "You ask too many questions."

J: "Fine." – He smirked. "You try asking me something for a change."

I stopped to look at him for a moment and asked what I'd been wondering since the first time I'd met him.

H: "Why do you like me?"

He thought about it for a moment, searching for the right answer.

J: "Well, I guess it's because I've never met anyone like you. You're so unpredictable …and interesting." – He moved a little closer to me. "And you have no idea how gorgeous you are which makes you even more attractive."

I felt his hand rub against my thigh and my whole body went stiff. No one, except for Arnold, had ever made me feel this nervous. His other hand moved up to my neck and my heart started beating even faster. He pulled me in closer to him and pressed his lips against mine. He kissed me gently at first, pulling my lower lip into his mouth and sliding his tongue into mine. I kissed him back and his lips grew more eager, forcing my mouth to open wider. I felt his tongue go in deeper and I pulled away from him to catch my breath. His lips moved slowly down to my neck, kissing it lightly. His tongue brushing against my skin brought shivers down my back. He leaned over until he was lying on top of me on the couch. His lips went lower, down to my chest. I felt his hand cup my breast and I knew I had to stop him, but I wasn't thinking properly. It was a sensation I'd never felt before. I liked the touch of his hands against my body and was enjoying every bit of it, until, all of a sudden, I found myself wondering how Arnold's hands would feel against my skin, and what it would be like to kiss him like this. I felt queasy and instantly needed to get him off of me. Jeremy's hand slid down my thigh and started pulling at my dress. I immediately stopped him and pushed him away from me. I quickly stood up from the couch and he looked up at me startled.

J: "I'm sorry. Am I going too fast?"

I gazed down and rubbed my fingers against my forehead.

H: "No, it's just that…" – I turned to look at him straight in the eyes and shook my head. "I just can't do this."

J: "Is something wrong?"

H: "Yes. No! …I don't know." – I sat on the couch again, confused, and Jeremy looked at me suspiciously.

J: "Who is he?"

H: "Who's who?" – I asked, even more confused.

J: "The dude you're thinking about."

H: "What? I'm not thinking about anyone!"

J: "C'mon, Helga. You don't have to lie to me. You have that look on your face." – He looked away from me, hiding the annoyance in his face. "It's that blonde kid you're always calling foot-ball head, isn't it?"

I turned to look at him in shock.

H: "You're out of your mind!" – I lied, wishing he'd take it back.

J: "What do you see in him? He's a freakishly shaped nerd!"

H: "Arnold is not a nerd! And he's not freakishly shaped!" – I snapped out at him.

J: "So now he's Arnold…" – He mocked me.

H: "You know what? This is none of your business, so could you just _fuck off_ and _leave me alone_?!"

J: "Fine. I'm sorry I even mentioned it!"

He stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him. I felt this anger come over me, like I needed to break something – or someone. I needed another drink. I was still pretty drunk, but I wanted more. I just wanted to forget about everything. I was about to head down to get one when I heard my phone vibrating on the couch. It was a text message from Arnold. 'Helga, where are you? I've been looking for you everywhere!' Reading his message brought an instant pain to my chest. I didn't want him, or anybody else, to find me, so I just stayed upstairs and buried my face on one of the cushions on the couch. I guess at some point I must have fallen asleep.

Arnold's P.O.V.

I was starting to get worried. There was no sign of Helga anywhere. I looked at my watch every five minutes and searched for her in the crowd, hoping I'd find her. After two hours, Phoebe started to get worried, too.

I finally spotted Jeremy sitting at a table inside playing some kind of drinking game with a bunch of his friends. I walked up to him and realized Helga wasn't with him.

A: "Hey, Jeremy. Do you know where Helga is?" – I asked, politely.

J: "No, I don't." – He wouldn't even look up at me and continued playing his game.

A: "She was supposed to be with you." – I interrupted, again.

J: "She was; but as you can see, now she's not."

He was starting to irritate me, so I raised my voice to get his full attention.

A: "Then, where the hell is she?"

J: "I said I don't know!" – He finally stood up from the table and faced me.

A: "I thought she was in 'good hands'!"

J: "C'mon, man!" – He laughed provocatively. "I'm not a fucking babysitter."

I breathed hard trying to stay calm, and clenched my fist.

A: "Could you at least tell me where you last saw her?"

J: "Sure." – He said, with a smug smile on his face that made my blood boil up to my head. "Upstairs, second door on the right… on the couch." – He finished, waiting for my reaction, as if he knew what it would be.

A: "What the hell were _you two_ doing upstairs?!" – I finally yelled, angrily, and he stared at me mockingly.

J: "Chill out, dude! What are you, her Dad?" – He took a step closer to me trying to make me feel intimidated. "Go on upstairs; I probably left her nice and randy for you."

I knew he was just trying to provoke me, but it had certainly worked. I suddenly felt the temperature from my body rise and every single one of my muscles clench. It was like some kind of fire raging inside of me. I raised my fist in the air and took a swing at him, punching him right on the face. It felt good, I wanted to punch him again but Gerald pulled me back. Jeremy held on to his bleeding nose and looked at me furiously. One of his friends stood up ready to punch me back, but Jeremy grasped his arm and stopped him.

J: "Just leave it." – He told him. "I'm fine."

I somehow got the impression he had only been trying to release some kind of anger towards me, and now regretted it. Gerald grabbed my shoulder and pulled me down so he could speak into my ear.

G: "Let's just find Helga and get the fuck away from here, O.K.? Before you get both our asses kicked…"

I turned back to face Jeremy one last time and gave him a warning.

A: "Just stay the hell away from her, asshole!"

Jeremy looked away feigning indifference and I rushed upstairs to look for Helga with Gerald and Phoebe following me close behind. A part of me desperate to find her, hoped she'd be exactly where Jeremy had told me she might be, but another part of me hoped she wouldn't, because that would mean he hadn't really lied to me. Much to my disappointment, there she was, lying on the couch. I went over to sit next to her and tried waking her up. It was no use.

P: "We'll take her back to my house. I'm sure her parents won't mind."

Phoebe helped me sit Helga up straight so I could put my jacket on her, and I carried her over to Gerald's car. Sid and Stinky said someone else was giving them a ride back home, so I was able to lay Helga in the back seat and rest her head on my lap. She would sporadically look up at me confused and then fall back to sleep again. I kept wondering what might have caused her to drink that much.

When we finally got to Phoebe's house, Gerald stayed outside while I carried Helga up to her room. Phoebe said she was staying outside to keep him company, but I knew it was just an excuse for them to be alone and say good-bye to each other properly. As I walked up the stairs, I tried not to make any noise that might wake Phoebe's parents up. I gently pushed the bedroom door open with my foot and carefully placed Helga on one side of the bed, trying not to wake her up. I slid her shoes off and tucked her in with a blanket. She was still wearing my jacket, but I left it on her. I guess unconsciously I wanted to leave her a reminder of me.

I sat on the other side of the bed, looking down at her and thinking about what Jeremy had said. I wasn't sure which feeling was stronger inside of me; my anger or my jealousy. I ran my finger down her cheek, hoping he had lied to me, and she opened her eyes.

H: "I'm sorry." – She said.

A: "For what?"

H: "For ruining our night." – I smiled at her.

A: "It's O.K. We can have our wild night out when I come back." – She smiled back at me.

H: "I'm going to miss you, foot-ball head." – She mumbled quietly, before falling back to sleep.

A: "I'm going to miss you, too, Helga ...Like you have no idea." – I whispered to myself, and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

When I pulled away from her, something on Phoebe's nightstand caught my attention. It was a notebook with Helga's initials on the cover, and what looked like her ribbon coming out of one of the pages in the middle. I was about to open it when I heard Phoebe coming up the stairs and quickly hid the notebook under my shirt. I walked out of the room and bumped into her in the hallway.

A: "See you soon, Pheebs! Take care!" – I kissed her cheek and dashed out of her house.

As soon as I got home, I lay on my bed and skimmed through the pages of the notebook. It was full of love poems. I looked for a name, but couldn't find one. The ribbon was definitely Helga's; I could smell the scent of her shampoo on it. I kept looking through the pages not sure what I was looking for. Something about the notebook intrigued me. I remembered another little notebook much like this one I'd found years ago. I stood up, walked to my closet and pulled out a box full of old things from my childhood. There it was, at the bottom; a little pink notebook I'd been keeping for a very long time.


	5. Chapter 5 - Fingers Crossed

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey, Arnold! or any of its characters.

Chapter 5 – Fingers Crossed

Arnold's P.O.V.

Gerald burst in through my bedroom door shouting excitedly and waking me up. I briskly sat up on my bed and turned to look at my alarm clock. _Crap! It was 8:53 a.m., so fucking late!_ I'd fallen asleep pretty late last night thinking about that notebook I'd found on Phoebe's nightstand, and now I had seven minutes to get ready! I quickly stood up pulling my pajama top off and walked over to stick my head in the closet finding something to wear.

G: "Geez, man! Don't tell me you've just woken up! You were supposed to be ready to go by now!"

A: "I know, Gerald! I guess I forgot to turn my alarm clock on last night…" I said, while I pulled a t-shirt out of the closet. "I can't believe no one thought to check if I'd woken up on time!"

Gerald's eyes swiftly followed me around as I walked up and down my bedroom gathering everything I needed to wear. When he realized I was going to take longer than he expected, he moved over to sit down on my bed while he waited; as he sat down, he curiously pulled out something hard from under his butt. My eyes popped wide open when I saw it was the notebook with Helga's initials on it, and I leaped over him to snatch it from his hand. Gerald looked up at me startled.

G: "What the hell? Whose is that?" – He said, surely guessing it wasn't mine.

I froze for a moment not knowing what to say. I was almost certain it belonged to Helga, but I couldn't find the words to explain how and why I'd taken it. The silence between us grew longer, and Gerald just stared at me confused, waiting for an answer.

A: "Can we talk about it later? I've got about five minutes left to get ready." – I finally said, now feeling thankful I was running late.

Gerald had been my best friend long enough to know when not to push it and wait for me to feel comfortable enough to talk about something, so he just stood up from my bed and walked over to the door.

G: "Whatever you say, man!" – He smirked and started to leave the room. "I'm going to help Phil load up the cab; it's already waiting for us outside, so you better get your ass downstairs pronto."

When I was finally ready to go, I shoved my backpack over my shoulder and headed for the door. As I turned around to shut it, I glanced at the notebook sitting on my bed. For some reason, I couldn't leave it behind, so I grabbed it and put it in one of the bags on the sides of my backpack and rushed outside. Everybody was already waiting for me in the cab. Grandpa gave me a grouchy look as I tossed my backpack in the trunk and hopped in.

The drive to the airport was insane. There were so many people leaving the city for summer holiday, the traffic was terrible. We barely made it in time. We'd been in such a rush all morning, Gerald hadn't been able to call Phoebe to say one last good-bye, so he waited until we were on the plane before it took off. I was trying to listen to their conversation to find out if she mentioned anything about a missing notebook, but couldn't hear anything thanks to grandma's yapping about some secret mission with grandpa. I figured these were going to be some of the longest six hours of my life, so I pulled my headphones over my ears, closed my eyes, and hoped for it to be over soon.

The flight actually felt much shorter than I expected and we were soon landing in Costa Rica. As soon as we stepped out of the plane, we inhaled a pleasant scent of moisture and nature in the air. Everything looked so green from the little windows in the jetway. The airport, however, was a complete chaos. We wondered around everywhere following the 'taxi signs' that only seemed to make us run around in circles until we eventually found a taxi stand outside, and took one to our hotel.

The hotel was small and rustic, situated right next to the beach. Nothing luxurious, but pretty and decent enough. Grandpa booked two rooms with a small balcony overlooking the beach. The rooms were very simple and ordinary, but the view was amazing. I could definitely see myself spending a nice six weeks there.

G: "Man, Arnold! This is going to be great!" – Gerald said, as we entered our hotel room and started unpacking.

As I pulled out something from out of my backpack, Helga's notebook accidentally fell on the floor. Gerald bent down to pick it up and looked at it with curiosity.

G: "Why did you bring it with you?" – He asked, now facing me and holding the notebook out for me to take it. I wondered if he'd guessed whose it was.

A: "I think it belongs to Helga." – I answered, taking the notebook from his hand. "But I don't know why I brought it with me."

G: "You don't?" – He smiled slyly, implying it was somewhat obvious. "And why do you _think_ its Helga's?"

A: "I found it in Phoebe's room."

Gerald looked at me questioningly and continued unpacking his stuff.

G: "How do you know it's not Phoebe's?"

A: "Well, for starters, it has Helga's initials on the cover…" – I began to explain. "And it had her pink ribbon inside… plus, it's not Phoebe's handwriting, I can tell; she's lent me lots of notebooks to study from."

G: "O.K., so lets say its Helga's..." – Gerald stopped unpacking and sat on his bed, now showing a growing interest in our conversation. "Why the hell did you take it?"

A: "I don't know, Gerald. I just did."

G: "And have you read it?"– He asked, intrigued. He knew there must be some reason why I'd held on to it.

A: "Not exactly; I skimmed through it." – I paused for a moment, feeling guilty. "Its full of love poems, and they all seem to be referring to the same person."

G: "What?! Love poems? …Helga?" – I could see a glimpse of a laugh in his eyes. "No way! Then, it's definitely not hers!"

A: "I'm telling you, Gerald. It's Helga's! Who else's could it be?"

G: "O.K. fine. So, it's Helga's. So what?" – He stood up and stared at me inquiringly. "Are you trying to find out who the poems are about? That's probably not such a good idea, Arnold. You might find out about something you won't like." – He paused for a moment. "What if they're about that Jeremy guy?"

A: "Well, there's the thing…" – I looked away, embarrassed. "I think I know who the poems are about."

Gerald stared at me eagerly, waiting for me to tell him who I thought it was. I took a deep breath and finally let out what I hadn't dared to say aloud to myself since the thought crossed my mind the previous night.

A: "Do you remember the little pink notebook we found in 4th grade? The one with all the poems about me?" – Gerald nodded concerned about where I was headed. "I think that one might've belonged to Helga, too."

Gerald looked at me as if I were losing my mind. I knew it was a crazy idea, but it made sense to me.

G: "That would mean she's been in love with you since 4th grade, Arnold."

A: "I know, Gerald, but…" –Gerald interrupted me.

G: "That's insane!"

A: "You've liked Phoebe longer than that, Gerald!" – I said, now feeling slightly annoyed.

G: "That's different, Arnold! I didn't spend every chance I got bullying her around!" – He waved his hands up in the air and brusquely sat back down on the bed. "What makes you think the other one belongs to Helga too, anyway?"

A: "There's just something about the writing in them…" – I breathed heavily trying to calm myself down. "I compared them last night, and they are very similar. The handwriting and the poems in this one seem a lot more mature, but you wouldn't expect someone our age to keep writing like a nine year old."

G: "Man, this is completely nuts! I know you like the girl, but you can't just start connecting random things together and building up ideas into your mind!"

A: "I'm not…" – He interrupted me again and I lost the little patience I had left.

G: "And even if the other little pink notebook did in fact belong to Helga, what makes you think these poems are about you, too? They could be about anyone!"

A: "Do you think I don't know that? Do you think I'm stupid?" – I finally snapped out at him. "I'm just saying it's a fucking possibility!"

I stormed out of the room into the balcony, leaving Gerald wide-eyed inside, and sat on one of the chairs. After I'd cooled down a bit, Gerald came outside and sat down beside me.

G: "I'm sorry, man. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that…" – He made a pause to put his hand on my shoulder. "…you seem to be on dangerous ground with this whole Helga thing, and I don't want to see you get hurt, you know?"

The apologetic look on his face made my anger fade away.

A: "It's O.K., Gerald." – I patted his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it."

G: "Are we cool?"

A: "We're cool." – I half smiled; we did our handshake and went inside to finish unpacking.

Helga's P.O.V.

The sun shone brightly in through the window waking me up. I blinked a few times trying to get the blindness from the sunlight out of my eyes as I sat down and felt a sharp pain in my head. It was like someone had put a bullet through my right temple and hammered a handful of nails through my skull. I looked around and realized I was in Phoebe's bedroom. She was sitting on her desk reading something off her computer.

H: "For fucks' sake, Phoebe! Close the curtains, will you?" – I yelled at her, blocking the sunlight from my face with my hand.

P: "Oh, I'm sorry Helga. I didn't realize the sun was on your face." – She whispered, as she stood up to close the curtains. "How are you feeling?"

H: "Like my head is about to explode!" – I slid my legs from out of the blankets and noticed I was wearing Arnold's jacket from last night. I pulled the fabric up to my nose and breathed in his cologne; it smelled so perfect it almost cured my headache.

P: "I figured you wouldn't feel very good, so…" – She leaned over the nightstand and picked up a glass of some disgusting looking liquid. "…Drink this. It's supposed to cure any hangover."

H: "Eeeew!" – I pushed her hand holding the glass away. "That looks gross!"

P: "Trust me, Helga. You'll feel a lot better."

I was in no mood to argue with her, so I took the bloody drink and quickly slid it into my mouth trying hard not to breathe. It actually didn't taste as bad as I'd thought. After I put the glass back down on the nightstand I looked up to see Phoebe staring at me with a giggling smile on her face.

H: "What the hell, Pheebs? Why are you looking at me like that?" – I asked, with a very confused and slightly irritated expression.

P: "Aren't you going to tell me about last night?" – My expression remained unaltered. "Oh, come on, Helga! You know…About what happened between you and Jeremy upstairs, at the party!"

Phoebe took a step closer and sat down on the bed beside me. My expression had switched from confusion to shock and indignation.

H: "How the hell do you know about that?!"

P: "Jeremy told us something about you two upstairs …on the couch…" – She looked away timidly.

H: "What?!" – I furiously stood up from the bed and pursed my lips together. "What _exactly_ did he say? And who do you mean by _'us'_?"

P: "Well, he didn't say it literally, but he sort of implied it… and when we went upstairs to look for you, there you were. I'm really sorry you had to find out he's a complete jerk this way, but…"

H: "I couldn't care less about that, Phoebe! Tell me what the fuck you mean by _'we'_!" – I interrupted her, feeling I was going to die if she said he'd told Arnold.

P: "I mean Gerald, Arnold and me." – I had, figuratively speaking, just died.

H: "Are you saying that _asshole_ told Arnold we fooled around? …That son of a bitch!" – I clenched my fists together angrily and walked around in circles through the bedroom cursing out loud. He had figured out I liked Arnold, and he had done it on purpose. I was so angry… No, I was furious! My burning headache was now the least of my concerns. When I felt I'd let most of my anger out, I stopped and turned to look at Phoebe again. "And what did Arnold say?"

I regretted asking her that the minute I'd let it slip my mouth. I knew I'd be crushed if I found out it had made no difference to him whatsoever, or worse, if he had approved of it. But as she smiled, I began to feel a nauseating sensation in my stomach, a little like excitement. She was silent for what could have been an eternity before she finally spoke.

P: "He punched him."

I wasn't sure if I'd heard right.

H: "I'm sorry… did you just say he _punched_ him?" – I felt my heartbeat stop as I waited for her to confirm it.

P: "Yes. Right on the face!" – She said, her smile so broad I could see her full set of teeth.

My eyelids opened so wide my eyes could've fallen out of my head onto the floor. I was completely dumbstruck; I couldn't believe it. Arnold, my non-violent, peaceful Arnold, had punched someone's face, and for my sake! I sat back down on the bed in shock.

P: "I think you're not as indifferent to him as you thought, Helga." – She smiled and put her arm around the back of my shoulders.

Phoebe's words sounded so full of optimism, it almost tore my heart in two. I couldn't allow myself to dream that high. The fall would be so much worse a second time.

H: "Oh, come on, Phoebe… I'm sure it didn't mean anything; he was _obviously _just trying t be a good friend." – I lied, knowing deep down it had in fact given me a little bit of hope, though I'd never admit it.

P: "So, Helga, you and Jeremy didn't…? You know…" – Phoebe blushed as she asked what she'd been wondering since the beginning of the conversation.

H: "Crimeny, Pheebs!" – I yelled, insulted. "Of course we didn't! I stopped him before we even got close! Jeremy's lucky he's gone off to college, or I'd beat the crap out of him myself."

P: "O.K., Helga. I believe you." – She giggled.

Phoebe's cell phone rang, and I could see it was Gerald from the number on the screen. I heard him say something about a plane, and it suddenly hit me that Arnold was probably already on the plane with him to go to Costa Rica. I felt a heartache pierce through my chest as I realized I hadn't even been able to say good-bye; I'd ruined our last night together. He had left believing what Jeremy had said, and now I'd have to wait six weeks to get this whole mess sorted out. How could I wait that long? And how could I make it through all summer without him?

Arnold's P.O.V.

Six weeks were almost up, and I'd enjoyed every minute of them in Costa Rica; we'd done so many fun and interesting things. Grandma had the time of her life when we went kayaking and water rafting down the Pacuare and the Sarapiqui River. We'd taken a bunch of tours from our hotel to many small towns nearby. We took the Gondola of the Aerial Tram over the tropical forest and rode an ATV through the jungle. We'd done some surfing and snorkeling a few times, and we'd sunk into the amazing thermal spring waters in the Tabacon after visiting the Arenal volcano.

Everything had been incredible, but none of it made me forget about Helga. She was always on my mind, and the closer we were to going back home, the more I thought about her. Everywhere we went, I pictured her with me. I imagined us enjoying all the adventures and the beautiful scenery together. I knew she would've loved it.

We had one last weekend left in Costa Rica and, being exhausted from all the activities we'd been doing all summer, we decided to spend it relaxing on the beach, drinking piña colada and eating coconut. The climate was absolutely fantastic. Even though it was rainy season, we'd hardly had any, and it always felt warm.

We'd met a group of teenagers at our hotel a couple of nights ago, and they'd invited us to a bonfire party tonight half a mile down the beach. It seemed like fun, so when my grandparents went back to their hotel room after dinner, Gerald and I walked down the beach with a six-pack of beer each. You could see the gigantic bonfire in the distance from the hotel, and the music grew louder with every step we took towards it.

When we arrived, everybody greeted us with cheerful smiles and introduced themselves. They seemed like a fun group to hang out with. They offered us some 'guaro', a typical Costa Rican drink made from sugar cane that tasted really nice, but was very strong. Gerald went a little bit over board with it, and was drunk before he could even count to twenty. We met people from all over the world; Jessica from Canada; Jesús from México; Natalia from Colombia; Aiden from New Zealand; Brendon from South Africa; and Pablo from Italy. They were all very friendly and interesting. We were having such a great time drinking, dancing, and singing, while one of them played his guitar, I never realized how late –or early – it was until dawn started to break through and the sky turned lighter.

Gerald and Pablo were the only ones who hadn't held out till sunrise; they had both passed out on the sand hours ago. I grabbed one of the last bottles of beer left and walked down to the edge of the beach to watch the sunrise and sink my feet in the water. The sun seemed to be rising up from the water giving shape to the clouds and covering the sky with shades of pink, yellow and orange. I felt my body warm up, and thought of Helga. As I looked down to see my feet submerged under the waves, I felt a light touch on my shoulder and turned around. It was Jessica.

Jessica (J): "Cheers, Arnold." – She said, holding her bottle of beer up in the air.

A: "Cheers." – I clinked mine to hers and took a sip.

J: "I take it you're wishing there were someone here with you, am I right?" – She asked, staring out into the sunrise. "… I can tell by the yearning look on your face."

A: "It's that obvious, huh?" – I chuckled. There was only one person on my mind, and more than wanting her next to me, I now felt like I needed her.

J: "Yeah." – She smiled.

I could see she understood how I felt because she had the same look on _her_ face. Jessica, along with the rest, was part of a student scholarship programme from a Latin American Foundation called 'Un Grano de Arena' and had been traveling around South and Central America for almost a year.

A: "Anyone back home you're missing?" – I asked, before she had a chance to inquire about Helga. I tried not to talk about her because I felt I'd miss her a lot more. I'd hardly even mentioned her to Gerald since the day we arrived, and I'd kept her notebook tucked in my suitcase.

J: "A few…" – She said, switching her gaze from the sky to the wet sand. "…but one in particular."

I sensed she didn't want to talk about it either, so I changed the subject.

A: "So, tell me about this scholarship programme you're in. It sounds interesting."

She drank from her bottle of beer and took a deep breath as if she were about to give a long speech.

J: "Well, the deal is you travel around Latin America for a whole year teaching in underserved populations, mostly kids and young teenagers, and at the end you earn a full university scholarship. Not to any university, of course… but they _do_ have a quite extensive list of worldwide options. And it _has_ been very interesting; you meet all kinds of people and you learn a lot from every one of them, and you also get to see lots of places you never even thought of going and they all turn out to be amazing."

I stared at her and listened attentively to what she said. I'd always wanted to travel around like they did and I could easily see myself going away with them.

A: "Where have you traveled to in the last year?" – I asked, wanting to know more.

J: "I've been to El Salvador, Nicaragua, San Lorenzo and Costa Rica. This is my last stop before I go back home and start college."

When I heard her mention San Lorenzo, I felt a pain in my chest that had become too familiar to me. I'd known for five years now that my parents had, in fact, died in San Lorenzo many years ago, and even though I'd gotten used to the idea, it still hurt to think about it.

A: "Did you say San Lorenzo?"

J: "Yeah, why? Ever been there? It's such a beautiful place!"

A: "No, I haven't. It's just that…" – I looked away and sighed. "…it brings me back some sad memories. That's all."

J: "Oh, I'm sorry." – She looked up at me and placed her hand on my arm trying to comfort me in some way.

A: "It's O.K." – I drank the last bit of beer left in the bottle. "And do you get to choose where you go?"

J: "Sometimes you do."

The sun was now completely up and the sky had turned a light blue. My eyes had grown tired and my body longed for a bed and a fluffy pillow to sink my head in.

A: "I think I should head back to the hotel." – I yawned. "But thanks, though, I had a great time."

She smiled and nodded in agreement. I walked over to Gerald sleeping on the sand and woke him up. He stood up half opening his eyes and looking like a zombie. I pulled his arm around my shoulders to help him walk and looked back at Jessica.

A: "It was really nice to meet you, Jessica."

J: "It was nice to meet you, too, Arnold!" – She smiled at me again. "And, hey… I bet she's thinking about you, too!" – She shouted, as I smiled back and headed to the hotel.

I fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow and didn't even care about Gerald's snoring. We woke up later that day to see it was already after noon. We had some 'breakfast' delivered to our hotel room and when we'd finished eating it, we went down to the beach. Grandpa and grandma were lying under an umbrella on the sand, and they looked up at our sleepy faces as we walked over to them.

Gpa: "Hello, boys! Up very late last night?" – Grandpa asked, with a teasing smile.

A: "More like very early this morning."

Gerald lay down on the sand wearing his sunglasses to rest his hangover and I sat next to him, feeling bored and unknowing what to do. I spotted a little boy trying to build a sandcastle at the edge of the beach, but when he was half way through a huge advancing wave destroyed it. I felt bad for the kid when I saw the disappointed look on his face, so I walked over to him and offered to help him build a new one.

He was so excited he immediately started looking for a new spot for his sandcastle; one where the waves couldn't reach it. I helped him carry his buckets and shovels, and he looked up at me admiringly.

A: "So, what's your name?" – I asked.

K: "Kevin. What's yours'?"

A: "Arnold." – I said, as I started drawing an outline on the wet sand where we wanted the sandcastle to stand. "And how old are you?"

K: "I'm six." – He answered proudly.

When I'd finished drawing the line, we both started digging up sand from the sides and shoving it into the center of the circle. While I shaped the pile into a large volcano, Kevin walked up and down the beach bringing buckets full of water to pour into it. When it was almost full, we mixed it up to form the base of our castle and jumped on top of it to compact the wet sand. We didn't have very large buckets to use, so we built lots of small towers on top to make up the castle. Kevin had already picked out a bagful of seashells, so he used them to decorate it, and I carved windows, bricks and doors into the towers to make it look more real. It wasn't the best looking sandcastle I'd ever seen but, considering the tools we had, it was a pretty decent one and we both felt very proud of it when we saw it completed.

K: "Thanks, Arnold! This is the best sandcastle I've ever made!" – Kevin shouted excitedly and called out to his mother who had been watching us the whole time and asked her to take a picture of it. She smiled and took her camera out of her purse to take it.

While I looked down at it, I remembered the last time I'd built a sandcastle at the beach. It had been so many years ago, and I'd built it with Helga on a summer holiday. We'd won a sandcastle competition and got to appear in a _Babewatch_ episode. That was the second time Helga had ever kissed me, and though it hadn't meant much to me back then, the memory now brought a tender feeling to my heart. We were flying back home the next day and all I wanted was to see her again. Time couldn't go fast enough.

My thoughts faded when I felt Kevin's hand pulling mine to stand next to the sandcastle. We both posed next to it for a picture and his mother thanked me for helping and entertaining her son. The sun was now setting and they both said goodbye to me as Kevin smiled and put his arms around my waist. I saw them walk away hand in hand and went back to meet up with Gerald and my grandparents feeling happy inside. We all went back to the hotel to start packing everything up for our return. Our flight was leaving early the next day.


	6. Chapter 6 - Tingly Inside

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey, Arnold! or any of its characters.

Chapter 6 – Tingly Inside

Helga's P.O.V.

I'd been counting the days since Arnold left hoping time would pass quickly. Instead, it made it feel like the longest summer holiday of my life.

I hated spending time with Phoebe these days because all she ever talked about was how much she missed Gerald and she'd keep me updated about every freakin' thing he and Arnold did, and that only made me miss him even more.

On the other hand, Olga was driving me crazy. Everywhere I looked there she was, always making up excuses to spend more time with me. I swear I'd go insane if I heard the phrase _'I love you, baby sister'_ one last time. Big Bob had taken some time of work, so he was always at home annoying the crap out of me, and Miriam was always busy with the baby.

The truth is the only person keeping me sane in the house was my nephew Andrew, who had now turned three. I'd taken him to _Dinoland_ on his birthday and we'd had a great time. I spent my whole month's allowance on all sorts of candy, toys and souvenirs for him, and went on a bunch of stupid rides I would otherwise never be caught dead on just to make him happy. I was definitely the spoiling aunt.

Andrew was a devilish little thing, always giving his mom a hard time and never listening to a word she said. To me, of course, he was an angel. I loved the tiny brat; I could see he'd grow up to be just like me. Every time Olga and the rest of the dimwits planned an evening out, I always offered to stay behind and baby-sit. I would much rather spend time with Andrew and Jazlyn – who was pretty much always asleep – than anybody else.

It was finally Friday night before Arnold's arrival and my nerves were starting to build up inside of me. Phoebe called, really existed, to remind me Gerald would be coming back home tomorrow – as if I didn't already know, and we talked for about an hour before she realized it was 1:30 a.m. and called it a night. I hung up the phone and leaped onto my bed. _Tomorrow!_ – I thought to myself. _He's coming back tomorrow! _I could hardly wait.

I lay on my back, looking up at the ceiling, and a million thoughts started crashing through my mind. The memory from the night before Arnold left still lingered in my head. I kept picturing him punching Jeremy's face and just couldn't believe it. Arnold had always been the pacific kind of guy. What could Jeremy have said or done to make him so angry? Could Phoebe be right? What if I really wasn't that indifferent to him?

The single thought tormented me. I still recalled the promise I'd made myself to move on, and I'd finally figured out a way to be near him without feeling a constant need to insult or bully him around. I didn't need this right now! No good could come of me bringing my hopes up now.

H: "What are you doing to yourself, Helga?" – I moaned to myself, pushing my pillow hard against my face and grasping the fabric firmly in my hands. "You're just going to get yourself heartbroken _again_!"

All I wanted in that moment was to have every thought of Arnold squeezed out of me. Why couldn't I get him out of my head?

I heard a sound alert from my cell phone and reached out to pull it out of my pocket as I tossed the pillow aside to look at the screen. My heart skipped a beat and I instantly shot out of the bed. It was a text message from Arnold!

Arnold's P.O.V.

I kept fidgeting around in my bed, tossing and turning, and looking up at the time every five minutes. I'd tried everything to fall asleep, but it was useless. I was so tired but my thoughts kept me awake. All I could think about was Helga; what I'd tell her when we got back home tomorrow and what excuse I could use to see her as soon as we arrived. She was the only person I wanted to see, the only person I'd really missed.

I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand and looked through my contact numbers until I got to Helga's. I lay my head back on the pillow and thought about calling her as I stared at her number on the screen, but it was too late; she was probably already asleep. Without stopping to think about it, and not really expecting an answer, I started writing her a text message.

A: _Hey! You up?_

I waited a long moment to see if I'd get a reply but there was none, so I stretched my arm out to put my cell phone back in its place when I felt it vibrate in my hand. I quickly turned it over to look at the message on the screen and felt my stomach quiver as I read it.

H: _Hey, foot-ball head! What's up?_

A: _I can't sleep._ – I confessed.

H: _What's on your mind?_

A: _I'm thinking about us coming back home tomorrow._

H: _Would you rather stay in Costa Rica? _

A: _No, – _I chuckled._ I'm actually excited about going back home. I've missed it. _

H: _Home has missed you, too, foot-ball head._

I felt my chest swell up with emotion.

A: _Can I see you tomorrow? – _I finally asked.

H: _Don't see why not. _

A: _Great! I'll drop by around 8._

H: _Fine, Arnoldo. Whatever. Now stop keeping me awake and go to sleep!_

I rolled over to my side with the biggest smile on my face. _Good night, Helga. _– I wrote, before closing my eyes and drifting away in my sleep.

We woke up early the next morning and checked out from the hotel. The ride to the airport was fast and easy, but everything else, including the flight, seemed twice as long. It was starting to seem like the longest day of my life and it felt like a cruel joke. The minutes turned into hours and I couldn't see the end to it.

When we finally arrived home, after dropping Gerald off at his place, it was barely 5:00 p.m. I helped Grandpa unload the cab and carry the suitcases into the boarding house. It was sure nice to be home again. I went upstairs to unpack and try to find a way to kill time before I went over to Helga's. I tried reading a book, but couldn't concentrate; I did some push-ups, sit-ups and ran on the treadmill; took a shower after that and found something to wear – a black button-up shirt over a white t-shirt and some jeans. I rolled my sleeves up my forearm and tied my shoelaces, ready to go, then looked down at my watch.

A: "What?! Another hour and a half?! No fucking way!"

I couldn't wait that long; I'd been patient enough, so I rushed down the stairs and walked out the front door heading towards Helga's house. I wasn't sure what I was going to say to her but it didn't matter. All I knew was that I needed to see her.

My heartbeat started racing as I reached the bottom of her stoop. I looked up at her front door and walked up the stairs, my heart now hammering against my chest. I knocked on the door and took a deep breath. A moment later, Helga opened it wearing a baggy old t-shirt and a pair of torn jeans. Her hair was all messy and she had a chocolate stain on her cheek, but she had never looked more beautiful to me.

H: "A-Arnold?!" – She looked up at me in surprise and blinked a few times.

I gave her a beaming smile and took a step towards her; her eyes fixed on mine as I moved closer.

H: "What are you doing here?"

I leaned in and put my arms around her. For a slight second I felt her body stiffen and tremble against mine, until she finally placed her hands lightly on my back. I hugged her tighter, brushing her hair discreetly against the lower part of my cheek, and breathed in her scent. I'd been wanting to do that for so long it hardly felt real. I pulled away to meet her gaze and she still looked up at me unbelievingly.

A: "Why are you so surprised? I _said_ I'd drop by."

I smiled at her with a glimpse of laughter and she suddenly regained her senses pushing me away.

H: "You're early! That's all, foot-ball head!"

A: "So… what do you want to do?" – I asked, ignoring the pink color growing on her cheeks. "Want to catch a movie or get something to eat?"

She opened her mouth to say something when a little hand tugged at her jeans from behind the door. It was her nephew Andrew asking for something I couldn't quite make out.

H: "Sorry, Arnoldo. No can do!" – She bent down to pick Andrew in her arms. "I'm baby-sitting."

A: "Who was dumb enough to leave_ you_ in charge of a kid?" – I teased.

H: "Shut up, foot-ball head!"

She punched my shoulder with her free arm and we both laughed.

A: "I could stay and help you baby-sit, if you want. We could watch a movie." – I suggested, unwilling to leave. "Some kid's movie so Andrew here doesn't get bored."

H: "Got nothing better to do, huh?"

I shook my head and she mocked me with a smile.

H: "Fine. Come on in, hair boy."

She closed the door behind me and led me to the living room where I found an enormous stack of DVDs. Andrew and I looked through the pile and he immediately pulled out _Despicable Me _from the bottom. I humored him and popped the movie into the player while Helga went into the kitchen to make some popcorn.

When I saw Andrew's attention had already been captured by the starting credits, I followed Helga into the kitchen and realized she was struggling to reach a pack of popcorn from the top shelf of the cupboard. I put my hand over her waist as I leaned over her from behind and she sprung up, staggered by the unexpected proximity between us.

I handed her the pack of popcorn and she reluctantly moved aside to put it in the microwave, and went over to sit on a stool near the counter.

A: "So, how was your summer?" – I asked, leaning close in front of her over the counter.

H: "Could've been worse, I guess." – She smirked and glanced up at me. "I won't even ask what _your_ summer was like. I know all about it thanks to Phoebe."

I laughed at the envious look on her face.

A: "Andrew seems to have grown on you."

H: "Yeah… He's the only one who's kept me sane since…" – She stopped suddenly, as if she were about to say something forbidden and looked away.

I felt my heartbeat stop and my stomach swirl as the expression on Helga's face brought back the conversation I'd had with Gerald the first day we arrived in Costa Rica. He had said I was crazy to think Helga could be in love with me, but was I really? At this moment her face suggested otherwise, and I felt a sudden urge to find out.

I leaned in closer to her and lifted her chin up with my fingers so her eyes were leveled with mine. I looked deep into them searching for a hint, and she didn't pull away from me. I could almost feel her heartbeat racing as fast as mine. My eyes rolled down her face to her lips and stopped there for a moment. How I wanted to kiss her and pull her towards me; to feel her whole body pressed up against me. She swallowed hard and exhaled uneasily. At least now I knew I could make her nervous.

My hand left her chin and grabbed a cloth sitting on the counter. I pulled it up to her face and brushed it against her cheek gently.

A: "You had chocolate on your face." – I chuckled.

She still looked into my eyes, unmoving and unaware of anything else, as if I'd never said anything. The microwave beeped and she came back to reality. Her soft expression hardened and she angled her head back and away. I knew the moment to kiss her had slipped from my fingers.

She took the popcorn out of the microwave, poured it into a bowl and then gestured me to follow her back into the living room. I resented the fact that Andrew had taken his place right on the middle of the couch, leaving us just enough space to sit on one side of him each.

The movie had already started and Andrew seemed to be the only one interested in watching it. Helga dug into her popcorn and all I could think of was how I could move Andrew out of the way and put my arm around her. I found myself wishing Arnie were there to make things easier. I remembered how simple it had been to hug her and hold her hand when he was around. If I had figured out then how I felt about her I would've taken a lot more advantage from the situation.

The movie went on and, giving the fact I couldn't think of a good enough reason to switch places with Andrew, I began paying attention to it and found that it was actually pretty entertaining. I never even realized Andrew had fallen asleep until Helga picked him up in her arms and carried him upstairs to Olga's old bedroom.

Helga came back and sat on the same place as before but slipped her shoes off and pulled her legs onto the couch. There wasn't much space to lie down comfortably, and she kept squirming around pushing her feet against my thigh, so I grabbed her feet gently and dragged them onto my lap so she could stretch her legs comfortably.

A: "I don't mind if you put your legs up on my lap, Helga."

At that, she left her feet where I'd placed them but didn't seem as comfortable as I'd hoped; her legs felt tense on top of mine. We continued watching the movie, and she soon started to relax, snuggling onto the couch. We both laughed, joked around and made funny remarks about the movie, while stuffing ourselves with popcorn. I'd spent time alone with Helga before, but never like this; this time it felt different, and I was enjoying every bit of it.

The movie ended and I, being the one closest to the remote, leaned over to grab it from the coffee table and accidentally brushed the sleeve of my shirt against the bottom of Helga's bare foot. She as soon jerked it away and I realized it had tickled her. Just for the fun of it, I stroked my thumb against her other foot and clasped my hand around her ankle before she could pull it away.

H: "No! Don't!" – She growled, threatening me with her gaze.

I smiled, a glow of mischief in my eyes, and ran a fingertip down the ball of her foot. Again, the grip of my hand prevented her from jerking her foot away.

H: "I'm warning you, foot-ball head! Do it again and I'll beat you up!"

Her words brought a tempting crave to my hands and I couldn't resist.

A: "Oh, really? I'd like to see you try!"

I slid my index and middle fingers from her toes right down to her heel. She jumped up from the couch and leaped on top of me, trying to pin me down. To my amusement, she was laughing along with me. I grabbed her wrists trying to ward off her attack, but she managed to break free and started tickling my stomach.

I wriggled around unable to free myself from the weakening sensation running all over me as I laughed. She stopped for a slight second to put her leg over me and I saw my chance to take control. I slid my arms under her legs and tossed her gently onto the floor, trying hard not to hurt her. She laughed and giggled as I tickled her all over her stomach, thighs and ribs.

She made more than one attempt to shove me off, but I was a lot stronger than her. I finally gave in and let her have her fun as she tackled me onto the floor and saddled on top of me. She trapped my hands against the floor and smiled triumphantly. We were both panting breathlessly from the exercise, our heartbeats and laughter echoing around us.

I suddenly became very aware of the fact that she was on top of me and started to feel a familiar urge coming over me. Blood rushed through my body, mostly concentrating down south, and I felt a growing bulge pressing up against my jeans. _Oh, no! Fuck! Not now! _I thought to myself.

I rose up from the floor without a warning, pushing her out of the way, and covered my crotch with my hands. She looked up at me startled and her eyes immediately rolled down to the part of my body I was trying to conceal.

A: "Um… I really need to pee." – Was the first thing that popped into my head.

H: "Bathroom's that way."

She held her arm up in the air and pointed to a door in the hallway with her finger. I walked towards it completely red-faced with embarrassment and hoped with all my heart that she hadn't noticed. When I'd closed the door behind me, I opened the water tap to splash cold water over my face and looked down at the hard on in my pants. _Think of something else, Arnold! _I leaned my elbows on the sink counter and entangled my fingers into my hair. It was no use! I kept coming up with different non-sexual situations to think about, but somehow I always traced a line of thoughts back to Helga.

After a long while waiting for my urges to cool down, I finally came out of the bathroom; and just when I thought things couldn't get any more awkward, I realized Helga's parents, along with her sister and brother in law, had just arrived.

"Oh, Daddy! But how can you say that? I thought the musical was absolutely fantastic!" – Olga said, as she entangled her fingers together and brought them up to her cheek.

"Worst two hours spent of my life!" – Her father groaned back at her.

As I walked down the hall I felt a sudden silence and looked up to see everyone staring at me.

"Now, what did I tell you, Helga?" – Big Bob turned to look at her and gave her a scolding look. "No boys allowed in the house when we're out!"

H: "Crimeny, Bob!" – She yelled back at him. "Take a chill pill, will ya? Arnold's just a friend!"

"Calm yourself, Daddy! I'm sure Helga's telling the truth." – Helga rolled her eyes at her sister's defense of her.

A: "Actually, I was just leaving." – I scratched the back of my neck nervously and started walking towards the door. "It was really nice to see you, Mr. Pataki."

Helga followed me to the door and walked me out.

H: "Sorry about that, foot-ball head! They have a mind of their own."

A: "Don't worry about it." – I laughed and then sheepishly looked away. "Uhm… Helga …there's something I wanted to ask you."

H: "Shoot."

A: "Uhm, well… You still owe me a night out… you know, from last time," – I looked down at my shoes. "…and I was wondering if you're doing anything tomorrow night."

H: "Tomorrow's Sunday, Arnoldo! And we start school on Monday. What could we_ possibly_ _do _tomorrow night?"

A: "Leave that to me. So… pick you up at 6?"

H: "Sure. Why not?" – She shrunk her shoulders indifferently.

A: "Great! So, uhm… I'll see you tomorrow, then."

I gave her a light peck on the cheek and sprinted down the steps of her stoop, leaving her blushing under the doorframe of her front door.


	7. Chapter 7 - Love Tokens

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey, Arnold! or any of its characters.

Chapter 7 – Love Tokens

Helga's P.O.V.

It was almost 6:00 p.m. and I still had no idea what to wear. My whole closet's content was scattered all over my bedroom floor and I'd tried on at least half a dozen outfits. _If onl_y_ the dumb foot-ball head had told me where we were going!_ I sprawled onto my bed frustrated and ran my hands through my face. _Get a grip, Helga ol' girl! This probably isn't a real date anyway!_

As I lay on my bed with nothing but my underwear I heard the door bell ring. _Shit! _I sprinted out of the bed and desperately started looking through the huge pile of clothes for anything suitable to put on when Miriam knocked on the door. "Helga…? Honey… your friend Arnold is here."

"I know, Miriam! I'll be down in a minute! Crimeny!" I had no time left, so I just grabbed a blue spaghetti strapped tank top and some jeans– my first choice; I tied my hair up in a big pony tail and slid a pair of sandals on, and I was good to go.

I rushed down the stairs and saw Arnold outside the front door waiting for me with the biggest smile on his face. "Hey, Helga! You ready to go?" The enthusiasm in his voice suddenly made me feel a whole lot more nervous and excited.

"Hey!" I fought back a grin and nodded. "Are you finally going to tell me where we're going?"

He smiled whimsically and shook his head letting me know he still wasn't going to tell me. I closed the front door behind me and Arnold's eyes rolled down to my bare shoulders. "Aren't you bringing a jacket? You might get cold later on."

"Nope," was my simple reply. The thought of going back upstairs and looking for a jacket in that mess was out of the question.

I started down the steps and was stopped half way down the stoop by the sight of a very familiar car parked right in front of my house. _Please, let it not be Gerald's!_ I thought to myself, as Arnold caught up and stood in front of me looking as if he were about to apologize.

"I invited Gerald and Phoebe to come along. I hope you don't mind."

_Dammit! Of course he invited Gerald and Phoebe! _

I sidestepped him and continued down the last few steps giving my back to him so he wouldn't see the disappointment on my face. "Why would I mind, foot-ball head? It's not like I thought this was some kind of _date_."

"Date…?" My head swung around just in time to see the panic building up in Arnold's eyes. "No. This is _not_ a date." He smiled nervously and opened the car door for me.

I'd be lying if I said his reaction to the thought of going out on a date with me didn't bring an ache to my chest. I knew he probably wouldn't like the idea, but never thought it could actually scare the crap out of him. It was my own fault though, and I couldn't blame him for feeling that way. I climbed into the car ignoring any trace of pain I felt and said hi to Phoebe and Gerald while Arnold climbed in through the other side. The proximity of his body in the back seat of Gerald's tiny car was uncomfortable, so I just stared out the window avoiding all eye contact and saw my house disappear as we headed out into the road.

"So, am I the only one who has no idea where the hell we're going?" I finally asked after a silent fifteen minute drive.

Arnold moved his head away from the window. "You'll find out soon, Helga." I both loved and hated the mysterious smile he was giving me. _What's the big deal? Why doesn't he just tell me?_ My eyes lingered on the back of his head as his returned to the world outside.

It wasn't long after when I caught sight of a mass of twinkling lights up ahead and a huge Ferris wheel sticking out from the middle. I felt my stomach shiver as I took a guess to where we were going; to the fair down at the pier.

"So… have you figured it out?" Arnold asked.

The shivers from my stomach seemed to have crawled up to my chest. _Does he remember? No. Surely not like I do._

He smiled; his eyes warm and childlike. _Yes, he does. He remembers._ I smiled back at him and somehow knew he was remembering the same night I was.

*Flashback*

It was a Sunday five years ago. I was 12 and I'd just spent a lousy summer listening to Miriam and Bob's shouting and complaining about each other; it was the time when they'd come very close to divorce. I never really knew how they worked things out in the end but they did, eventually.

I was lying on my bed reading a book for an assignment when a loud door slam and a series of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs dragged me out of the wonderful fantasy world I'd escaped to. The yelling started and I just couldn't take it anymore. I stood up, put a jacket on, and walked out into the hall. Bob was banging on the door demanding Miriam to open it. He didn't even see me walk down the stairs and leave out the front door.

I didn't know where I was going; I just wanted to get the hell away from there. I wondered through the park enjoying the quiet stillness of dusk when I glanced up at an ad with a picture of a huge Ferris wheel that reminded me of a birthday I spent with both my parents and Olga when I was 7. They took me to the fair down at the pier and it was the best birthday I'd ever had. It was one of the few times I remembered us ever being happy together.

Without giving it a second thought, I climbed onto the next bus that would take me there and got off at the main entrance of the fair. I didn't bring enough money to buy a ticket, so I just stayed outside on a bench and stared up into the lights trying to picture myself having a great time and forgetting about everything else.

As my mind drifted away, I heard a tender voice calling out to me from a distance.

"Helga…?"

I blinked a few times bringing myself back to reality. Someone was standing in front of me waving a hand at my face. I moved it aside to see who it was.

"A-Arnold?!"

"Hey, Helga!" he said, with his usual smile on his face.

I blinked again. "What are you doing here?"

"I came down with my grandparents, Ernie and Mr. Hyunh." He pointed at them waiting in line at the box office. "I just wanted to say hi."

"Oh..." I looked away as I felt a tear roll down my cheek and quickly swept it away with the back of my hand. I hadn't even noticed I was about to cry. "… Hi."

Arnold sat down beside me and reached out for my hand resting on my lap. "Helga, are you okay?"

Instead of looking up at him, my eyes rolled down to our clasped hands on my lap and he suddenly jerked it away from me as if he realized he'd accidentally crossed a forbidden imaginary line. I wished I hadn't done that.

"I'm fine, foot-ball head."

"I can see something's wrong, Helga. Talk to me. There might be something I can do to make you feel better."

"Just leave me alone, Arnold. There's nothing you can do." I breathed heavily.

"Try me." His hand was back on mine and I couldn't hold back the tears stinging at the corner of my eyes anymore.

"I just can't take it anymore, Arnold. Things with Bob and Miriam keep getting worse. I don't even care if they get a stupid divorce; I actually wish they did." I took a deep breath and wiped the few tears that rolled down my cheeks. "I've tried ignoring them, but it's no use. I don't know what to do anymore…"

"I didn't know things were _that_ bad, Helga." I felt a light squeeze from his hand on mine. "I'm sorry."

I breathed heavily again. "Yeah…"

We both sat there without saying a word looking up at the twinkling lights for what could've been hours, until Arnold's voice broke the silence.

"Why did you come here?"

My eyes turned around to meet his and I smiled vaguely. I told him about the wonderful birthday I'd spent here with my family years ago, and how much it meant to me because I didn't have a lot of memories of us all being happy together. After I'd finished telling him all about it, he stood up and held his hand out to me.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?"

I stared at the palm of his hand in front of me. "What?"

"Let's go in."

I smiled again, this time more clearly. "I'm not going in, foot-ball head. I didn't bring any money."

"It's okay; I'll buy." He fluttered his fingers signaling me to stand up and take his hand. When I didn't move, he reached down to grab my hand and pulled me out of the bench. "Come on, Helga." His face lit up with a contagious smile.

If there was anything he could do to make me feel better, it was exactly that. And he did it.

We walked through the fair, played games, rode all the roller coasters and stuffed ourselves with cotton candy before it began to rain. Then he walked me back home holding an umbrella over our heads so we wouldn't get wet. It turned out to the perfect day for me, and by the time I got back home I'd forgotten all about Miriam and Bob.

I thought about that day constantly when I was alone. It kept coming back to me. There was just something about the way he treated and looked at me that night. How he smiled and walked me home under the rain. I wasn't sure if I'd imagined a lot of it now, or if my memory had been altered over the years, but that had definitely been a special day.

Arnold's P.O.V.

I knew Helga also remembered the day we'd spent together at this same fair years ago. I could see it in her eyes. I laughed at myself for being so clueless back then. _How could I not know how I felt about her?_ After so many years, I was finally beginning to understand my feelings for Helga, and even though I still had trouble saying it out loud to myself, they were there and they were real. I was in love with her.

After waiting in line at the box office to buy our tickets it was finally our turn, and before Helga could start searching through her pockets for some change, I went ahead and bought two tickets; one for her and one for me. As the cashier handed me the two tickets and my change, Helga looked up at me with a lowered eyebrow. "I can pay for my own ticket, foot-ball head."

"I know… but I invited you, so I pay."

The truth was I did want this to be sort of like a date, but I didn't know how to tell her. I was afraid she'd say no if I asked her out on a real date with me. I'd invited Gerald and Phoebe on a double date kind of way, hoping it would be less weird and uncomfortable if they came along.

When we walked in through the main entrance, we weren't sure where to go first. There were hundreds of sidestalls, games, food booths and rides to choose from. Phoebe wanted to see some of the sideshows that were going on; Gerald wanted to start stuffing himself with all the junk food he could find; and Helga wanted to get starting on the rides and roller coasters. I, on the other hand, wanted to play some games and try to win Helga a big cuddly bear – or maybe something less feminine for her taste.

The bumper cars were right in front of us, so Helga convinced us to try them first. We each climbed into a bumper car behind the steering wheel and waited for the signal to go on. I looked up at Helga in the car right in front of me and she smirked. "Ready to bite the dust, _foot-ball head_?" I smiled wickedly and tightened my grip on the steering wheel. _God! That was sexy!_

The alarm went off and we both hit the accelerator, smashing into each other, and burst out laughing. We kept chasing, laughing and bumping into each other until the timer went off and we were escorted off the track. Helga still had a big smile on her face and was pink from the excitement and the exercise. "That was fun!"

After the bumper cars, we headed to some sideshows were we saw a woman slide a sword down her throat, a series of contortionists, a man lying on a bed of needles and a couple of men putting out burning torches with their mouth; We saw a magic show and had our fortune told by a group of gypsies.

Apparently, Phoebe and Gerald were going to get married at 24, have five children and live in a huge house outside the city before Phoebe was left a widow at age 76. I was going to fall in love with a beautiful European girl and marry her when I turned 32. I would move to a nice small town in Italy and live till the age of 98. Helga, on the other hand, was going to die a failed businesswoman and a spinster at the age of 45.

I had to fight back a laugh when I saw the expression on her face when the gypsy gave her the bad news. Helga looked like she was about to punch the woman in the face and thrust her onto the grass. Of course, none of that came true. Gerald and Phoebe didn't get married; Helga didn't end up a business woman or a spinster; and I never fell in love with anyone after Helga.

By the time we'd finished having our fortune told we were starting to get hungry. Gerald had already eaten a ten inch hot-dog and some nachos, but he still bought himself a mini pizza and a bag of mini doughnuts. Phoebe had a corn dog and an apple candy, and Helga and I ate a burger and some French fries.

While we finished eating, we decided to play some games. I tried the darts first, then the hoopla, skittles, basketball shooting, water pistols, archery and even Hit-the-Bell. It was no use! I couldn't win anything! I started to think that maybe every game was just a fraud when Gerald showed up with a huge teddy bear he'd won for Phoebe. _Dammit! _

I knew it was a cliché, but I really wanted to win something for Helga, so I kept on trying and didn't give up until I had no more change left. As I handed the attendant the last coins I had left, I felt a light touch on my shoulder and turned around. It was Helga. She handed me a tiny white tiger plush keychain and smiled mockingly. "You seemed so desperate to win something."

"Did you win this?"

"No, I bought it for you." She was lying. I later found out she had won it, but I guess she didn't want to make me feel like a loser. Phoebe had also won a prize playing darts.

"Thanks, Helga. I love it." I half smiled, not wanting to let her know how much it really meant to me.

"So… can we _finally _move on to something else, foot-ball head?" The irritability in her voice didn't hide the blush on her cheeks. "We've been staring at you play stupid games for half an hour!"

"Yeah, man…" Gerald agreed as he popped the last of his mini doughnuts into his mouth and chewed.

We moved on to the next thing on the list: The Boomerang Roller Coaster. It was one of my favorites. The only problem was the lineup was always huge, so Phoebe and Helga went looking for the restrooms while Gerald and I were left alone to wait in line.

Helga's P.O.V.

"Hey, Pheebs?" I rolled my eyes up to look at her through the mirror as we both washed our hands in the restroom.

"Yes, Helga?"

"There's something I want to talk to you about." I closed the water tap in front of me and pulled a paper towel to dry my hands.

"What is it?"

My cheeks began to flush. "Yesterday, when Arnold came over… things got kind of… _you know._"

"What do you mean, Helga?" She closed the water tap and turned her full body towards me, looking confused.

"We were kind of playing around…" I paused, embarrassed for what I was about to say. "… and I think he got a little _too excited_… if ya know what I mean." I raised my eyebrows, waiting for her to understand what I was trying to say.

"Too _excited_?" She still looked confused.

"Crimeny, Phoebe! How are you not getting this?! You know… down _there_." I lowered my voice as a woman with two kids walked into the restroom.

"Oh…" She smiled shyly and giggled. "And what did you do?" She whispered.

"Nothing… well, at least that's what I _think_ happened," I still wasn't one hundred percent sure. "He stood up and said he needed to pee and ran to the bathroom." We both chuckled.

"This could be proof of what I've been saying, Helga. I think Arnold really _does_ like you."

"Oh, come on, Pheebs! This just proves Arnold's like any other guy. They're all messed up with their depraved little minds." I started walking towards the exit. "All they ever think about is sex."

I noticed Phoebe wasn't following me and I turned around. She was still standing in front of the mirror, red faced with embarrassment. "Speaking of which, Helga… there's something I want to tell you, too."

Arnold's P.O.V.

Gerald had wanted to talk to me about something since we arrived, but hadn't had the chance. This was it; so as soon as Phoebe and Helga were out of sight, he began.

"Phoebe and I finally had _the talk._"

I knew exactly what he meant. He'd wanted to talk to Phoebe about it for weeks, but I guessed it hadn't gone as he hoped from the look on his face. "And what did she say?"

"We made plans for next weekend." Instead of excited, he seemed worried and disturbed.

"So, what's the problem? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Yeah…" He paused for a moment to reorganize his thoughts. "It is."

"So…? It's not like this would be your first time, Gerald."

"I know, man… but this time it's different. I really care about her, Arnold. I don't want to mess things up."

"Then, don't!"

He was about to say something else, but I cut him short when I saw Helga and Phoebe heading our way. By the time they got back, it was almost out turn to go on the ride.

Before we knew it we were sitting in the roller coaster car strapping our seat belts on. We heard an announcement for safety procedures and had a set of bars pushed down on us. The train was pulled backwards up the lift hill and then released. A shot of adrenaline suddenly flew through us as we raised our arms up in the air and screamed. The force of the wind was keeping my eyes shut and I could only open them for a slight second to see the whole fair upside down. It was great!

When we got off the roller coaster Gerald did not look good. His eyes were dizzy and he was turning green. Phoebe put her arm around him. "Gerald, are you feeling okay?"

Before he could answer Phoebe's question, he ran to the nearest trash can and threw up. Phoebe rolled her eyes. "I told him not to eat so much if he wanted to go on the rides."

"I think I'm going to skip on the Haunted House, guys." Gerald said when he was able to lift his head up.

"It's okay guys. I'll stay with him; you go ahead. I don't like scary things anyway." Phoebe patted Gerald's back as he leaned into the trash can again.

"We can stay with you guys, if you want. We don't mind, right Helga?" I suggested.

"What? Suddenly feeling_ scared_, foot-ball head?" She teased.

"I'm not the one who's always jumping into your arms when I get scared, Helga."

Her teasing smile was suddenly an irritated scowl. "Oh, I'll show you, hair boy!" She pulled my arm. "Nothing scares Helga G. Pataki."

"Whatever you say, Helga."

We walked to the Haunted House, and as soon as we saw it we felt intimidated. It was a huge castle-like building with a foggy exterior, dim lighting and spooky noises coming out from every corner; you could hear people screaming inside. An actor dressed up as a vampire came outside and guided us into the castle with a group of another ten people. I felt Helga press up against me as we examined the scary scenery of the welcoming parlor and the actor began to give us instructions on how to travel through the castle. He asked us all to hold hands with the person in front of us and led us down a black passageway before disappearing into the darkness.

Helga was the last person in the row and asked to switch places with me when she heard something following close behind her. "I thought _nothing_ scared Helga G. Pataki." I teased her, and she looked back at me hatefully. I chuckled and switched places with her. I didn't like the idea of being in the back either, but I was trying to be the hero. I held on to her hand tighter and we continued down the dark hall.

I never would've guessed a Haunted House could be so much more romantic than a Love Tunnel ride, but it was. Helga kept pulling me in closer to her every time a costumed actor sneaked up on us from behind, and I took every opportunity I got to hug her protectively. Halfway through, Helga had completely forgotten about the person in front of us. She still followed close behind, but both her hands were clasped in mine. I wasn't even paying attention to what was happening around us anymore; all I could think about was how she clung on to me and laughed every time she jumped up and screamed.

We saw the exit sign up ahead and were starting to relax when an actor in a creepy mask carrying what I guessed was a plastic chainsaw began to chase us. We ran like crazy out the exit door holding hands and screaming. When we were able to catch our breaths, we burst out laughing. "That was awesome!" Helga cried.

I smiled and nodded, still trying to catch my breath. "Where do you want to go next? Want to try the Ferris wheel?"

Helga looked down at the clock on her cell phone. "I guess we could, but after that we should start thinking about going back home. It's getting late." I hadn't even noticed the fair was starting to look empty.

We texted Gerald and Phoebe to catch up with us at the Ferris wheel. There were hardly any people waiting in line anymore, so we passed straight through. The attendant helped Helga onto the open-air gondola and I jumped up beside her as it moved forward. We watched the people passing by get smaller and saw the twinkling lights of the fair around us and the city up ahead.

The cool breeze swept by us as we reached the top. Helga shivered and put her arms around herself. I took my jacket off and wrapped it around her. She said nothing and snuggled into it, her eyes fixed on the reflection of the moon in the beach. I sat in silence beside her wondering what was on her mind.

"We finally got to ride the Ferris wheel."

She looked up at me. "Huh?"

"I was just saying we finally got to ride the Ferris wheel. Last time we were here and wanted to ride it together, it started to rain."

"I remember." She took a deep breath and looked away. "You bought a colored umbrella at one of the souvenir stalls so we wouldn't get wet."

"Yeah…" I sighed at the memory.

I had no idea why, but I was starting to get really nervous. My palms got sweaty and my heart started racing. The thought of kissing her crossed my mind. _But what would she think? How would she react?_ I'd never find out unless I tried. I leaned slightly closer to her and imagined my hands pulling her face to mine and kissing her. Her name came out of me in a silent whisper and she swiftly turned around ready to say something.

"Arnold… you've always been a really good friend to me. You're a good friend to everyone actually, but I've always been nothing but a bully to you. You've always been there when I've needed someone and you've always found a way to make me feel better."

"Helga…" She cut me short before I could say anything.

"I just want to thank you for that. I know I'm not easy to be around with. Phoebe's the only one who can really stand me."

"You're a challenge; I'll give you that…" I smiled. "…but anyone would be lucky to be around you, Helga."

"Yeah, right…" She looked at me sarcastically. "I saw the look on your face when I mentioned the possibility of this being a date, foot-ball head."

I felt a sting in my chest when I realized I'd accidentally hurt her feelings. "Helga, I…"

"Don't get me wrong. It's not that I thought it was or wanted it to be, okay? It's just that…" She breathed in and shook her head. "I don't blame you for feeling that way, though."

I waited a moment to see if she was done talking, so she wouldn't cut me off again. "Helga, I didn't mean it like that…" I paused, searching for the right words. "Any guy would be lucky to go on a date with you._ I'd_ be lucky to go on a date with you."

Her sarcastic look was back and she lifted the corner of her mouth into a half smile.

"Helga… It's the truth. You're smart and beautiful. You're funny …in a sarcastic kind of way;" I smiled nervously and looked away, afraid of what she might find out if I didn't. "You might be a little rough on the edges, but once you let people see the girl inside of you… you blow their minds."

She didn't say anything after that and I didn't dare look back at her. We sat together in silence as the gondola reached the bottom of the Ferris wheel. A man opened the little door for us and helped us climb down. Gerald and Phoebe were already waiting for us at the bottom.

"You guys ready to go, now?" Phoebe asked.

We nodded and walked back to the car together. The ride back home was silent and thoughtful. I glanced at Helga a couple of times but her gaze didn't move away from the window. She was still wearing my jacket and she had pulled the sleeves over her hands and the hood over her head in a way that didn't let me see even the slightest bit of flesh from her body.

When we got to Helga's house, I got out of the car and walked her to the front door. It was pretty cold outside so I squeezed my hands inside the pockets of my jeans to warm them up and felt something inside I'd completely forgotten about. She turned the door knob and looked back before going inside. "Thanks, foot-ball head. I had a great time. _Just like last time_." She smiled at the last bit.

"Wait!" I said, before she stepped into the house. "There's something I want to give you." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a turquoise bracelet made of seashells. "I got it for you in Costa Rica."

I handed out the bracelet for her but instead of taking it from my hand she held her wrist out for me to put it on. I tied the blue strings together and lowered my head to meet her eyes. "Do you like it?"

"It's really nice." Her lips didn't move then but she smiled with her eyes.

"Helga…?!" A male voice called out from the inside of the house interrupting the moment. "Is that you? Shut the door, will ya? What's taking so long?"

Helga rolled her eyes and breathed impatiently. "I'm just saying good-bye Bob! Crimeny!"

"I'll see you tomorrow at school, Helga." I smiled and took a step backwards down the stoop holding on to the railing.

"Thanks for the bracelet, foot-ball head." She smiled and held her wrist up.

"Glad you liked it." I waved as I continued down the stoop and climbed into the car. When I looked back Helga was already inside the house.

It felt so recent when I dropped her off at this same front door five years ago; it was hard to believe we were now starting our last year of high school the next day.


	8. Chapter 8 - More Like a First

First of all, I want to apologize for taking so long to upload this next chapter. I recently got engaged and have been really busy planning the wedding and so on, but I'll do my best not to ever let it be this long again. I hope you enjoy it.

All the best, xxxx

Hey, Arnold! The Girl in my Nightmares

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey, Arnold! or any of its characters.

Chapter 8 – More like a first

Arnold's P.O.V.

Our senior year of high school started out pretty much the same as every other year; we had a few new teachers and everybody was making plans for college, but other than that not much had really changed.

Halloween was coming up and, as usual, Rhonda was planning a big costume party at her house on Saturday. I, on the other hand, was too busy working on an essay that weekend and wasn't planning on going, but Sid wouldn't take no for an answer and kept trying to convince me I should go.

"Oh come on, Arnold!" Sid insisted as he held the classroom door open for me after our Spanish class. "It's our last High School Halloween party!"

"I know, Sid, but I can't go." I walked up to my locker and Sid followed me close behind. "What difference does it make if I go or not, anyway?"

"I invited Hannah… "

"Yeah…. So? What does that have to do with _me_?" Sid hesitated as I worked on the combination for my locker.

"She has this friend… that kind of _likes_ you… And I told Hannah we'd all go together as a double date."

Not sure I'd heard him right, I turned around and saw the pleading smile on Sid's face. "You told her what?"

"Please, Arnold! … Who knows? You might end up liking her, too…" He said, confirming what I thought I'd heard.

"No, Sid. I'm _really _not interested. Do you even know who she is?"

"Hannah didn't tell me, but she said you two knew each other pretty well." I ignored him and started shoving my notebooks into my locker. "I'd owe you_ big_ time!"

"No, Sid…"

"Please, please, please, Arnold!"

Before I could say anything else a hand slammed my locker shut from behind and almost squashed my hand. It didn't take a wild guess to know whose it was. "What's this bozo yapping about now, foot-ball head?"

I turned around with a light snarl but the chagrin soon disappeared as my eyes met the crooked smile on her face that almost made my knees go weak. "Hey… Helga."

She leaned onto my locker and folded her arms against her chest. "So, what's the big deal?"

"Sid's just trying to convince me I should go to the Halloween party tomorrow night, but I already told him I can't go."

She unfolded her arms and stood up straight. "You're not going? Why?" There was a glimpse of disappointment on her face, but before I could rejoice, her expression had changed. "I mean, it _is _our last Halloween together before we all go off to college."

"I can't. Our essay is due Monday and I've written _one page_ so far! There's no way I'll finish it on time."

Helga let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, brother! You're still working on that?"

"Yes, Helga… Not everyone is as _literate_ as you." I said, with a hint of sarcasm, but actually meant it. Helga always handed in the best essays in the classroom and got straight A's in all of them. "And I haven't had much time to write it."

"I'll tell you what… If you want to go to the Halloween party, I'll help you out with your essay on Sunday. Piece of cake." She held her hand out to shake mine. "Deal?"

I knew I was probably risking my grade by going to the party, but how could I say no to Helga, especially when she'd offered to help me out? I figured there had to be some reason why she really wanted me to go. "Deal." I took her hand in mine and shook it.

"Great!" Sid shouted, reminding us both he was standing right next to us. He grabbed his backpack from the floor and rushed out the door. "See you at Rhonda's at 9:00! Don't be late!"

"No! Wait, Sid!" I tried to stop him, "That doesn't mean…" but he was already gone.

The next day, I went through a bunch of old boxes with all sorts of costumes – mainly grandma's – that grandpa had packed up in the basement and found a white Phantom mask and a red cape to wear to the Halloween party. I combed my hair back, wore a black suit underneath the cape and put on a pair of fancy shoes I'd hardly ever worn.

At exactly 9 o'clock Sid was already waiting for me outside Rhonda's house with two other girls. I could tell from a distance that the girl wearing a pink fairy costume was Hannah, but I couldn't see who the girl in the Jessie Cowgirl suit was because she had her back to me. As I walked up to say hi and she turned around I was completely dumbstruck to see who she was.

"Lila…?"

She smiled her uncommonly sweet smile and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Hello, Arnold. It's ever so nice to see you."

I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. Was Lila supposed to be the girl that really liked me? I knew Hannah and Lila were good friends, but I never thought it could be her. What was she trying to pull off and why hadn't she invited me to the party herself? She'd always been the kind of girl to tell me everything out front. It just didn't make any sense.

"It's nice to see you too, Lila." I smiled awkwardly and she grabbed my arm as the four of us walked into the house.

Rhonda had really outdone herself that year. Her whole house seemed to be pulled out of a Scary Ghost movie. All the walls were decorated with heavy dark curtains, spider webs and old paintings and the tables were covered with candlesticks and skulls, and all kinds of spooky things. It all looked pretty cool, but the truth is I wasn't paying attention to any of it. There was only one thing – or person – on my mind, and my eyes couldn't seem to find her anywhere.

I heard Lila's voice in the background trying to tell me something but I just nodded and kept searching until I felt a light tug at my arm.

"I'm sorry, what H… Lila?"

"Is something wrong, Arnold? You look worried."

"No. I'm fine. What were you saying?"

"I was just wondering if you could bring me some punch. I'm very thirsty."

"Uhm… Sure, Lila. I'll be right back."

"Thank you, Arnold. That's ever so nice of you." She batted her eyelashes and smiled charmingly.

I walked over to the snack bar and bumped into Phoebe. For a moment I hardly recognized her from all the green makeup on her face. She was dressed in a long black dress and wearing a witch's hat. "Hey, Pheebs! You're looking scary tonight." I laughed and brought a smile to her face.

"Hi, Arnold. That's exactly what I was going for." She took a step backwards and examined my outfit. "And you… you're looking pretty handsome."

"Thanks, Pheebs." I ignored the sudden flush on my face and went on to a more important issue. "Hey… have you seen Helga around?"

"No. She's not here yet but I'm sure she'll be here soon."

"Okay, well… I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Sure, Arnold." She smiled, grabbed a pair of cups from the table and disappeared into the crowd.

By the time I got back to Lila the whole place was crowded with high school students and you could barely walk from one place to the next. I could see a lot of familiar faces, but not the one I wanted to see. Why was it taking her so long to get here?

Lila again interrupted my line of thoughts as she tapped her finger on my shoulder and poked her head into my view. "Arnold?"

I refocused my attention on her and waited for what she wanted to say.

"I just wanted to tell you that I didn't plan this…"

"What do you mean, Lila?"

"I mean I didn't ask Hannah or Sid to invite you here tonight. I guess Hannah was just trying to do something nice."

"Don't worry about it. We're here so we might as well just try to have some fun."

I could tell that wasn't the answer she was expecting from the look on her face. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I smiled and looked around, this time looking for Hannah or Sid. I hadn't realized when they'd sneaked away and left me alone with Lila.

Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into an hour and there still was no sign of Helga. I felt bad for Lila for hardly taking any notice of what she was saying, but I couldn't help it. I was starting to feel really anxious and didn't even notice how many drinks I'd had until I felt a swift dizziness sweep through me and decided the drink I'd just finished had been the last one.

Lila either didn't notice or chose to ignore the alcohol's effect on me when she went on rambling about school and college and all the things she wanted to do. Fortunately, after a while she excused herself and left for the bathroom making me promise I'd wait for her there. But I didn't keep my promise. As soon as Lila stood up and walked away I saw Helga standing a few feet away from me.

She was wearing a Wonder Woman Halloween costume and she was looking straight back at me. Her skirt wasn't very short and her cape hid most of her curves, but I still thought she looked pretty damn sexy. The black curly wig on her head made the color of her eyes stand out against her creamy white skin and the impish smile on her face revealed much more than she'd cared to admit.

I stood up, the whole room swirling around me, and started walking towards her when I stumbled against some guy's back and fell flat on my face in front of her. The first thing I heard when I hit the floor was the very familiar roar of Helga's laughter, followed by a giggling "Are you Okay?"

She reached her hand out to help me stand up and when I did, our faces met close together. "I'm fine… Thanks, Helga."

Her eyebrows drew together as my breath touched her nostrils. "Crimeny, foot-ball head! How much have you had to drink?"

"A lot…" I smiled, ignoring the pain in my knees, elbows and chin, and she smiled back at me.

"I can tell."

We soon found Gerald, Phoebe and a bunch of our other friends hanging out and joined in their conversation. I was having such a great time laughing and joking around that I completely lost track of time and forgot about Lila. It wasn't until she bumped into me that I remembered.

"Arnold… I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"I'm really sorry, Lila. I saw some friends and lost track of time."

"Oh, Okay…" She beamed at me and brushed her hand against mine, holding my fingers in hers. I swallowed hard and for a moment was glad Helga wasn't watching us. "Look, Arnold, there's something I need to tell you. Do you mind if we go outside?"

I felt an instant shudder in my stomach and a racing in my chest, and was suddenly relieved I'd sobered up. I had a pretty good idea of what she wanted to say but I realized I didn't want to hear it. Not anymore. I nodded and she led me to a bench outside in the garden and pulled me down next to her. She was silent for a few minutes and kept rubbing her hands together. It occurred to me that we were both equally nervous but for two very different reasons.

She looked up into my eyes, took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak. "Look, Arnold… I don't know how to say this, but…" Her gaze dropped to her hands. "… I've recently felt _different _about you."

"Different? How?" My heart drummed inside my body.

"I'm not sure how or when it happened, but I really like you, Arnold." Her eyes met mine again. "And I wanted to know if you still felt the same way."

I had been right. I'd known exactly what she was going to tell me but it still took me by surprise. I didn't know what to say. "Lila, I…" She leaned in closer to me, shaking my nerves even harder. "I'm not sure…" A light brush of her lips across mine silenced me. I felt her warm breath against my mouth and then her lips fell on mine again. Her kiss was gentle and delicate, and her mouth tasted as sweet as I had always imagined it would. My mind blurry and confused I kissed her back. I'd wanted to kiss Lila for so long.

But as good and as enjoyable as it was, she wasn't the girl I wanted to kiss anymore. I brought my hand up to her cheek and slowly pulled away from her. "Lila, I'm sorry… I can't." I shook my head and lowered my hand. I hated to see the disappointment in her eyes and the tears threatening to fall down her cheeks but I had to be honest with her. I wished I could comfort her but I knew it would only make things harder. "I wish I could say I feel the same way."

"I know, Arnold, and I really appreciate your honesty." She wiped a tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. "Do you mind if I give you some advice?"

My eyebrows slightly furrowed. "About what?"

"About Helga." The confusion in my face increased and then I looked away trying to hide what was apparently evident in my eyes. "I know you like her, Arnold, and I think you should tell her." I didn't say anything. There was no use in denying it and I couldn't say it openly to Lila knowing it would hurt her.

Lila stood up from the bench and looked down at me. "You might find out she feels the same way." She smiled in a way that suggested she knew something I didn't. "Just a feeling." She turned around wiping another tear from her face and walked back into the party leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Helga's P.O.V.

I leaned on the balcony railing overlooking the street and wondered why I couldn't seem to let go. I tightly shut my eyes to hold back a tear and saw it all over again in the back of my head; that stupid, bird-brained, little miss perfect… _Lila_ kissing him. How I would've liked to drag her scrawny little ass and beat her to a pulp. But what good would that have done? Arnold still preferred her… _Lila_!

But did he? I could've sworn something had changed between Arnold and me. Or had I imagined it all? No… I was sure I'd felt something, seen something in his eyes. But what?

Crimeny! I was so confused! I was sure Lila was now nothing but an old worthless crush to Arnold… but seeing how he kissed her back...

I cursed under my breath as all these questions and doubts whirled inside my head, when a voice in the back of my ear made my heart jump up in my chest.

"A penny for your thoughts…"

I turned my head around and saw _him_. "Oh, it's you… _foot-ball head_!" He was smiling, that stupid smile that could light up the whole world around me or melt my heart to stone. Which would it do this time? He leaned onto the railing next to me and breathed in some fresh air. "Shouldn't you be downstairs with little Miss_ Perfect_?"

Arnold chuckled and glanced at me. "You mean Lila, right?"

"Who else, foot-ball head?"

Again he chuckled. "Lila's not perfect, Helga…"

"Oh please, Arnoldo. Tell me _one _thing that's wrong with her!"

He hesitated for a long moment and I wondered why the hell I'd asked him in the first place. It was so obvious he couldn't think of _one_ thing. But why was he so nervous? His whole body went stiff, and he kept fidgeting with his hands and biting his lower lip. What was wrong with him? What was going on in that foot-ball shaped head of his? Did I even want to know?

His voice a little shaky, he finally spoke. "Well, for starters she's not as funny… or as… _puckish…_" He smiled then. "… or as _passionate_ as some people I know."

His gaze met mine and for a moment the world went silent. I couldn't even hear the loud music from the party echoing behind us. What was he trying to say? Was I supposed to be _puckish_, and funny and passionate? I _was _all those things, or at least I thought I was… but was he saying he _liked_ those things about me? Was he even thinking about _me_?

Arnold broke the silence as he reached out to grab my drink. "Mind if I have some of that? My mouth suddenly felt dry."

I shrugged my shoulders and let him have it. He took a large gulp from my drink and leaned on the railing again looking out into the street. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. "I blew her off tonight."

"What? You blew _who _off?"

"Lila. I told her I didn't feel the same way about her anymore."

Wait… what? He did _what_? My eyes searched his. "Just like that?"

"No, Helga… not just like that." He grinned. "I haven't felt that way about her in a long time. I'm not even sure I really _loved_ her. I guess I just had a really bad crush on her."

I was right! I knew it! I was upset over nothing. A soothing relief seeped through me and I smiled, unaware that he was watching me. "Or maybe you just discovered she's not as good at kissing as she is at doing everything else."

"Oh, no… I'll admit she's a pretty good kisser…" My eyes jerked up at his and a smile played around the corners of his mouth as he read the jealousy in them. If I'd known any better I would've thought he was enjoying it. He leaned in closer to me and searched my eyes. "… but you're a much better kisser, Helga."

My stomach trembled and I felt blood vibrating in my veins. I pulled away and struggled to compose myself. "How the hell would you know, foot-ball head?"

He smiled coyly. "You've kissed me before, remember?"

"Those hardly count as kisses, Arnold…" I felt a flush creeping up my neck to my cheeks.

"They were pretty long, Helga… I still remember."

"It's called _acting_… I don't know if you're familiar with the term."

Arnold's smile widened seductively and he took a step closer to me. "Well, if that's what a fake kiss from you is like, I'd love to find out what a real one tastes like."

The air around us suddenly felt heavy and scarce, and I couldn't draw air to my lungs. He was standing so close to me I had to lay my hand on his chest to push him away, but the feeling of his heartbeat against my palm only made things worse. "In your dreams, foot-ball head."

He didn't blench; instead he seemed satisfied and jubilant. He held my gaze for a long moment before his eyes moved down to my wrist to the turquoise bracelet he'd given me. His finger moved to stroke the skin underneath the bracelet and then held my wrist in his hand. "It looks nice on you."

"Yeah. I like it."

"I knew you would." His eyes met mine again for a brief second and then strolled down to my lips, his face barely a few inches from mine. Warm blood heated up in my veins as I felt his ragged breath against my skin and the turmoil in his heart. He slid yet closer and my heart hammered against my chest.

The hand that wasn't holding my wrist climbed up to the back of my neck and, not a fraction of a second later, his lips found mine. A soft touch at first, and then a firmer, more determined, kiss. My whole mind went blurry and my limps grew weak from the sensations streaming all over me. His mouth savored mine… nibbling, tasting, biting. Was this really happening?

His lips were so soft, so tender and moist, and so amazingly delicious. His mouth hot and welcoming, taking mine completely. His fingers moved to the sides of my face and brushed the line of my jaw, sending tingly vibrations all the way down my spine and causing an overwhelming power to come over me. I kissed him back ardently, seizing the moment without letting it slip away from my hands. I slid my fingers into his hair and Arnold pulled away from me gasping for breath. "God, Helga…" He breathed in and drew me against him once more, pressing our lips together in an even hotter, harder and deeper kiss. The world fell to the ground around us and there was nothing but Arnold and me and this fervent kiss we were sharing.

Not completely satisfied, Arnold pulled me closer to him, hugging my waist and placing a greedy palm against my hip. Hungrier still, he slid his tongue into my mouth and I welcomed it with an equally intense hunger. His body trembled as I pressed my whole body up against him and I felt his warmth soothe me completely. I clung on to him as he hugged me tightly, as if not wanting to ever let me go.

In a desperate attempt for control, Arnold pulled away from me again, his hands shaking heatedly and still holding me close. He rested his forehead on mine and breathed in heavily, his eyes closed. "I guess I must be dreaming." He smiled and moved his hands to either side of my face, stroking my cheekbones with his thumbs, but I couldn't feel it. All I could feel were my swollen lips were Arnold had kissed me.

He brought his lips down to mine for one last tender kiss and sighed. His eyes tightly shut and his jaw clenched, his expression changed to a yearning I'd never seen on him before. My heartbeat was gradually slowing down as we held on to each other, when a voice calling Arnold forced his eyes to open. The heat and passion revealed as he looked into my eyes was overflowing with so much tenderness and love.

"Helga, I…" He started to say but was interrupted by another cry. Sid was calling him. Arnold dropped his hands to his side and took a step backwards. "I have to go. I promised Sid…"

"Yeah…" was all I could say and swallowed nervously.

"But I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?"

"My essay…? Remember? We had a deal." He chuckled at what I could only guess was my bewilderment.

Fuck! His essay! I'd completely forgotten about that. "Right… Deal's a deal, foot-ball head. Noon okay?"

"Perfect." He gave my hand a light squeeze and kissed my cheek before walking back into the party in search for Sid.

Arnold's P.O.V.

I didn't know how I'd managed to pull away from her. Holding her so close to me, kissing her, touching her had been so overpowering; and the way she responded to me so exhilarating. When I reached Sid I had this stupid smile on my face I couldn't get rid of.

She felt the same way about me; I knew it then. She had to feel the same way. I'd felt it in her heat, in the way she kissed me back and clung on to me. My heart was about to burst out of my chest… and I couldn't take that stupid smile off my face.

Tomorrow. I'd tell her tomorrow and not care about what could happen. I just knew I had to tell her.

I accompanied Sid to drop Hannah and Lila home and could hear their voices making conversation in the back seat of the cab, but I wasn't listening to a word they were saying. All my senses were too busy remembering the kiss I had just shared with Helga. The warmth of her skin in my hands; the sound of her ragged breath and the feeling of her slim fingers curled around my hair; the touch of her lips; the taste of her tongue; her smell; and the look in her eyes before and after I'd kissed her. It hit me then what a restless night awaited me. How could I wait until tomorrow to have her close to me again?


End file.
